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New statutory holiday gives working people a new way to participate in reconciliation: BCFED
2-20-2023
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day for all Canadians to commemorate the history and legacy of the residential school system.
It’s a day to honour the resilience, dignity and strength of survivors and intergenerational survivors and remember the children who never came home. It's a chance to engage and educate people about B.C.'s colonial history and how it has and continues to impact Indigenous communities.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in B.C.
Provincial legislation
On February 7, 2023, the Province of British Columbia introduced legislation to make September 30 a statutory holiday.
Enshrining National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in B.C. law will give more people the chance to commemorate the history and legacy of the residential school system on September 30 each year. This will be done through creating a new Act (The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act) and amendments to the Employment Standards Act.
Having a provincial statutory holiday means eligible B.C. workers will be able to observe September 30 with a paid day off, or receive payment at premium rates if required to work.
More British Columbians will be able to get involved in advancing reconciliation by participating in local commemoration or education events, having important conversations with their families, friends and communities, and finding meaningful ways to learn more about our shared history.
If passed, British Columbia will join Canada, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon as jurisdictions that have designated September 30 as a statutory holiday.
History of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots campaign founded by Phyllis Webstad. Orange Shirt Day grew out of her own experiences and the experiences of other residential school survivors who attended St. Joseph’s Mission near Williams Lake. It's a day to honour the healing journeys of residential school survivors and their families and a time to engage in meaningful discussions about the history and legacy of the residential school system.
Orange Shirt Day has become an important opportunity to open up dialogue on anti-racism and anti-bullying. This day is meant to also encourage deeper reflection, learning and public dialogue on the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
In June 2021, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-5 to make September 30 a federal statutory day. It is observed as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This directly responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80, which called upon the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, “to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
Currently, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal statutory holiday. It only applies to federally regulated workplaces, which includes organizations such as banks, airlines and the post office.
Consultations in B.C.
In 2022, the Province consulted with Indigenous partners and communities across B.C., including residential school survivors, about how best to observe September 30. These groups communicated that the creation of a new provincial statutory holiday is a way for British Columbians to participate in events on the day, publicly acknowledge the history and harms of the residential school system and commit to deepening their own understanding of how these institutions continue to impact Indigenous communities.
Government then expanded this engagement by seeking input from B.C. employers and employees. This included whether to establish September 30 as a statutory holiday, starting in 2023, so that employees have time to personally commemorate and reflect on the meaning of the day.
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