Indigenous
Truth and Reconciliation Day 2026 at Vanier
September 30th, National Truth and Reconciliation Day, also known as Orange T-Shirt Day, was marked at Vanier College by some one hundred employees and students dressed in orange T-shirts, who participated in an outdoor commemorative service held in the A'nó:wara O'nó:wa (Turtle Shell structure) in the Vanier garden. Several guests and speakers honoured and remembered the children who never returned home from residential schools, to honoured the Survivors and their families, and reflected on the ongoing impacts of these institutions.
The service began with the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, which means the words spoken before all other words. This traditional Thanksgiving address was given by Ganien’Gehá:ga student Tiothahaténion Phillips. As well, Ganien’Gehá:ga-Haitian student Cyrus Smoke acted as the Firekeeper for the ceremony, attending to fire burning in the centre of the gathering.
Following a land acknowledgement given by Early Childhood Education teacher, Tali Goodfriend, Billi-Jo Poirier, Vanier Indigenous Student Life Counsellor, told Phyllis Webstad’s story and reflected on the origin and meaning of Orange Shirt Day. As she finished the story, a minute of silence was held in memory of those lost and those who survived.
First Nations student, Tiothahaténion Phillips who opened the day’s events, then returned to the lectern to describe the importance of Orange T-shirt Day for her and her family and described the scars carried by her grandparents who attended residential schools. Although her grandmother is able to share her life experiences, her grandfather, still haunted by the past, never speaks of it.
Vanier College Student Association President, Vivian Chan, then emphasized the need for students to learn about Indigenous history and culture, and praised the Indigenous Studies Certificate as well as many other opportunities Vanier offers students to understand the past and find ways to make changes in the future.
Finally, Director General Benoit Morin highlighted Vanier’s actions following its signature of CICan’s Indigenous Education Protocol in 2017, whose principles were imbedded in subsequent Strategic Plans. Vanier has consolidated support services for Indigenous students, and worked with Indigenous community members to create course content, and design a new Springboard profile to offer a tailored and accessible pathway in CEGEP for First Nations, Métis and Inuit students.
Other initiatives include the construction of the A’nó:wara O’nó:wa, an outdoor Indigenous Learning Circle designed with Indigenous consultants and based on Indigenous principles. As well, every year, Pow Wows, the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, Orange Shirt Awareness activities, help students learn about and understand the history of this Canada and its First Nations.
“While Vanier and so many members of this community have worked hard towards reconciliation, the work is certainly ongoing,” said Benoit Morin. “Days like today are essential for us to remember and to learn about our collective histories, to honour residential school survivors, remember those who never returned home and recognize the continued impacts of Canada’s residential school systems on Indigenous peoples.”
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