National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30th, 2022 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in honor of the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.
On this day, CanHepC honors the children who survived the residential school system and those who never came back as well as their families and communities. CanHepC renews its commitment to truth and reconciliation working together with Indigenous people for a better way forward, listening, healing and learning from each other.
In CanHepC’s Blueprint to inform hepatitis C elimination efforts in Canada, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people are among the 5 priority populations with a disproportionate burden of hepatitis C. In their case, the colonial ethiology of hepatitis C is well recognized. Specific actions are needed to ensure they have equitable access to hepatitis C prevention, testing and care services. As such, CanHepC is currently facilitating the development of a specific National Roadmap with Indigenous Peoples for hepatitis C elimination led by Indigenous people in collaboration with the Waniska Saskatchewan/Manitoba Indigenous Centre for HIV/HCV/STBBIs Inequities, Pewaseskwan Indigenous Wellness Research Group and Communities, Alliances & Networks (CAAN). Our program also includes an Indigenous platform led by Indigenous members of our network spanning across our research and training pillars to help us through our journey in reconciliation and decolonizing our own work ensuring more Indigenous engagement and leadership in the Network.
We encourage our members to wear orange on September 30th, to show support and raise awareness. To learn more about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, here are a few resources you can read:
- Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: 94 Calls to Action: https://nctr.ca/records/reports
- Visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: https://nctr.ca/
- Visit the Government of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation web page: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html
*The picture above is the Survivors’ Flag, an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada.
