Joint Statement by Ministers St-Onge, Anandasangaree, Hajdu and Vandal on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2024 marks the 4th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

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The residential school system is a topic that can cause trauma invoked by memories of past abuse. Messages around the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation can be an unwelcome reminder to those who have suffered hardships through generations of government policies that were harmful to Indigenous People.

A 24-hour support line at 1-866-925-4419 provides crisis referral services to Survivors and their families and explains how to obtain other health supports from the Government of Canada.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis seeking immediate emotional support can contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

OTTAWA, ON, UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TRADITIONAL TERRITORY, Sept. 30, 2024 /CNW/ - Ministers St-Onge, Vandal, Anandasangaree and Hajdu have issued the following statement today to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

Today, on the 4th annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we come together from coast to coast to coast to honour and remember the children taken from their families, those who never returned home, and the individuals, families and communities still living with the lasting impacts and trauma caused by the residential school system in Canada; a shameful and colonial government legacy.

Acknowledging the injustices of Canada's colonial history and the lasting effects on First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities is central to reshaping our relationship.

We understand that reconciliation begins with good intentions, however, it must be followed by action, and advancements for self-determination including:

• addressing socio-economic gaps that persist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous People;
• implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action;
• addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people calls for justice; and
• fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We are advancing reconciliation by working alongside First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, communities and organizations to address this painful legacy and create the conditions for Indigenous Peoples to thrive. This commitment to taking actions on reconciliation is why we passed an act to establish the National Council for Reconciliation, an independent body with the mandate to monitor, evaluate and report on the progress of reconciliation in Canada.

We also unequivocally denounce those who wrongfully deny the reality of residential schools and the profound harm they inflict on Indigenous Peoples. This denialism attempts to erase the realities that Survivors, their descendants and communities know all too well. We are committed to supporting Survivors, their families and communities, addressing the legacy of residential schools, and ensuring that this history is recognized and never forgotten.

We encourage everyone in Canada to use today as an opportunity to advance reconciliation in their personal lives. There can be no reconciliation without truth. It is important to learn from Survivors about Canada's colonial history; only then can we help build a nation that truly respects and values the rights, cultures and identities of Indigenous People. Together, we can build a Canada where respect, understanding and reconciliation are at the core of our national identity. Today, and every day, let us walk this path with humility, listening to Indigenous voices, and working toward a future rooted in truth, equity and mutual respect.

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For more information (media only), please contact: Charles Thibault-Béland, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 1-819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]; Bahoz Dara Aziz, Director, Communications and Issues Management, Office of the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, [email protected]; Media Relations, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-934-2302, [email protected]