Mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with Reflection and Self-education

HALTON HILLS, ON – This year, September 30 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Town of Halton Hills recognized the importance of the day and committed to providing educational resources for staff and the public. Town Council’s September 20^th resolution noted the municipality would be ”recognizing September 30th, 2021, as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (National Orange Shirt Day) by sharing the stories of residential school survivors, their families, and communities.”

“The Town is committed to moving forward on the path of reconciliation,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “Learning about the appalling history of residential schools and their ongoing impact on survivors, families and communities is an important step that we can all take. We must ensure that this shameful chapter in our history is not forgotten, and let this knowledge help us move toward building more understanding, inclusive, and equitable communities.”

Recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation responds to an important action to ensure public commemoration of the history of residential schools. Residents are encouraged to engage in reflection and self-education year-round. We are all treaty people, and everyone has a role to play in reconciliation.

To learn more about Indigenous history and the ongoing impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities, residents are encouraged to:

• Read a book from the Indigenous Voices reading list compiled by the Halton Hills Public Library;
• Participate in Indigenous programming presented during Culture Days;
• Explore the list of resources compiled by the Town to support learning and discussion with friends and family;
• Visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website for public education activities including hearing the stories of residential school survivors.

Town services will continue to operate as usual on September 30.

About the Town of Halton Hills

The Town of Halton Hills, with a population of approximately 60,000, consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, the Halton Hills Premier Gateway employment area, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval and several smaller settlements. Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto. The Town is ranked as one of the top small communities in Canada by a national magazine.

Visit the Town's website 

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