Hello Graduate Students!
It is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation today. It is a day for us to take a moment to learn about Canada’s relations with Indigenous communities and to reflect on our role in its living history.
I am presenting this post with new international students in mind, so let me start with an elementary description before outlining the events we may attend on and off campus.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was introduced in 2021 as a day for reflection on and learning about the legacy of residential schools. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which was active between 2008 and 2015, worked to develop a resolution to the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools.
The Residential School System operated across Canada for over a century, and the last one closed in the 1990s. The government of Canada has some that may serve as an entry point to this difficult topic.
Likewise, the Ontario government website features an overview of the. I learned, for instance, that, also known as Orange T-shirt Day, September 30 honours the 6-year-old Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor who was not allowed to wear her (perhaps favourite) orange T-shirt on the first day of school.
I am dedicating today and the week to learning about and reflecting on the ongoing legacy of Indian residential Schools. I hope you, too, join me and others whether you are on campus or conducting research elsewhere.
The University has a variety of free events. Most of them are open to all members of the Queen’s community. Please use the webpage of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives to learn more.
Sacred Fire | Agnes Benidickson Field | Tuesday, September 30, 2025 | 1 pm
Fading Memories of Home | Isabel Bader | Tuesday, September 30, 2025 |open until 4 pm
If you are on campus today, it is your last chance to enjoy the Fading Memories of Home art installation by Tom Wilson, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. The exhibition is open until 4 pm and this FREE event portrays a colonial classroom. The exhibit includes nine rebuilt residential school desks with photographs of children’s families inside. As you move further in the rows, the images disappear, representing the loss of identities, family, culture, and language. More Information.
A Ceremony for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | School of Medicine Building, Lecture Theatre 032A | Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 12:30-1:30 PM
Talk by an Indigenous speaker who will share their story and reflections on truth, reconciliation, and moving forward together in medicine and beyond. This event is open to all Queen's and Kingston community.
| 4th Annual Indigenous Art Exhibition | Union Gallery, Main Space |open until Saturday, October 11, 2025
is at Confederation Park today from 1:00–7:00 pm.
I am also sharing an invite for at 5 pm today, September 30. Please meet at McBurney Park (AKA., Skeleton Park) to join the second annual Walk for Truth and Reconciliation for Kingston. This walk is organized in solidarity with all those affected by Canada's tragic history. The community walk begins with a smudge at McBurney Park and ends at Confederation Park. Participants will walk together accompanied by drumming, singing, and dancing to honour the resilience of Indigenous children. The walk ends at Confederation Park, where the community will gather for songs, drumming, and formal closing. Please wear your orange shirt. For more information or to get involved, contact organizers at kingston.trc.walk@gmail.com.
If you are unable to attend the walk due to childcare and other duties, it might be a good idea to watch films and documentary at home. The , a 2015 documentary, situates the residential schools in Canada in the larger context of race relations. It is freely available at Queen’s libraries.
Enjoy this week of learning inside and outside the classroom and from deep reflection.