National Truth and Reconciliation Day Closure

City Hall Closed for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Posted on 09/29/2021
Charlottetown City Hall and its administrative offices will be closed tomorrow, September 30, 2021, in recognition of the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Call to Action #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called upon the government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, to establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday. The historic Bill C-5 received royal assent on June 3, 2021.

At 9:00 am on Thursday, September 30th, Deputy Mayor Coady, members of City Council, Chief Junior Gould of Abegweit First Nation, and City staff will be raising the Mi’kmaq flag outside of Charlottetown City Hall.

Members of the public are invited to join the Premier of Prince Edward Island, Mi’kmaq leaders, and members of the Indigenous community for a period of reflection, followed by a lowering of the flags to honour the lives of Indigenous peoples impacted by residential schools. This will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at noon in front of the Shaw building (South). Participants are encouraged to wear orange throughout the day to show solidarity and support. A reminder to all residents to follow all public health guidelines currently in place for all events they attend.

In the evening, tower at Charlottetown City Hall will be lit orange to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Residents can also take a moment to learn about the impacts of the residential school system by visiting the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation education portal. This page has resources for learners of all ages and is available here: https://nctr.ca/education/. The National Film Board of Canada also has a series of films related to residential schools on their website. L’nuey, a PEI Mi’kmaq Rights-based organization, has shared several family-friendly educational resources, facts, and infographics on reconciliation on their Facebook page.

Residents can learn more about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here.

A national Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.