09/30/2026
September 30 is a day to honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, the Survivors who continue to carry their stories, and the families and communities who have been affected across generations.
Here in Nova Scotia, we recognize that this history is deeply connected to the Mi’kmaq communities, families, and communities who have lived on Mi’kma’ki since time immemorial.
Every Child Matters.
Orange Shirt Day reminds us that behind the history are real children, families, and communities. Wearing orange is one way to remember and to show our commitment to learning from the truth of this history.
For Community Health Boards, this is also an opportunity to reflect on what reconciliation means in the communities where we live and work. Building healthier communities includes building relationships based on respect, listening, understanding, and recognition of the experiences and knowledge of Mi’kmaq and other Indigenous peoples.
Today, we can:
Remember the children and honour residential school Survivors.
Listen to Mi’kmaq and other Indigenous voices and lived experiences.
Learn about the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and colonialism. Reflect on our own role in reconciliation.
Take action to build stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities.
Truth and reconciliation is not something we do only on September 30. It is an ongoing journey—one that calls on each of us to learn, reflect, build relationships, and take meaningful action.
Today, we remember. We listen. We learn. We commit to continuing the work of reconciliation.
