National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day
September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, an opportunity to honour residential school 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.
It also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the clarion call that “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
A Flag Raising Ceremony was held this morning to raise awareness for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Members of Council, staff and residents are wearing orange as a sign of respect and to honour the thousands of survivors of residential schools.
As a municipality, the Town of Arnprior respectfully acknowledges that we choose to work on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nations and community members. We are all so fortunate to know this place, to call this place home. We are committed to learning about Indigenous experiences to ensure that contributions of all Indigenous neighbours will continue to be recognized for today and future generations.
Over the last year, the Municipality’s Culture & Diversity Advisory Committee worked with an Indigenous Consultant to develop a new Land Acknowledgment Statement, which Council adopted, that better reflects the Town of Arnprior’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation.
The Town of Arnprior is humbly engaged in a learning path by building relationships with local Indigenous Nations and organizations to better understand the history of Indigenous-settler relationships, the enduring impacts of colonization, and how we can best serve Indigenous community members while working together on the path of reconciliation and decolonization. Toward this end, staff were grateful to attend the First Algonquin Elders Conference in Pembroke, hosted by The Circle of Turtle Lodge and Algonquin College this year.
At the Town of Arnprior, we will encourage others to join us in public events and conversations that support growth and collaboration in learning and understanding. For example, Arnprior + District Museum is welcoming Indigenous Knowledge Keepers to explore Algonquin history along the Madawaska River this October 3, 2026 at 2 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Please visit Omàmiwininì Pimàdjwowin: Algonquin Way Cultural Centre, Circle of Turtle Lodge, Bonnechere Algonquin First Nation, Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation and Ridge Road Training and Consulting to find out about local workshops and gatherings.
For additional resources, experiences, and stories, please visit: