National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Now in its fourth year, this important day of reflection and learning is an occasion for BCNU members to remember the devastating legacy of the residential school system and the children who never returned home, the survivors and their families.
The union encourages members to embrace the ten Principles of Truth and Reconciliation, and understand that together we all share the responsibility for establishing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships.
On Sept. 30 and every day, BCNU renews its commitment to truth and reconciliation, recognizing that these principles must be woven into all the work we do as a labour union, in our practice as nurses and health-care professionals, and in our personal lives.
The 2022-2025 Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement is an example of this commitment.
The contract governs the working conditions of over 48,000 nurses in BC. Ratified in 2023, it updated the language in Article 2 acknowledging “the pervasive and ongoing harms of colonialism faced by Indigenous peoples” and stating that the parties are committed “to confronting and healing systemic racism in our provision of healthcare services and recognize the importance of learning from Indigenous peoples and communities in developing a culturally safe and welcoming health care system for all.”
Article 2 also references the harms of colonialism as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the systemic racism experienced by Indigenous peoples in BC’s health-care system, as highlighted by the government’s 2019 In Plain Sight report.
The historic and ongoing oppression of Indigenous Peoples continues to this day, yet little progress has been made on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. According to The Yellowhead Institute’s most recent status update, 81 Calls to Action remain unfulfilled.
BCNU supports members in their journeys toward reconciliation
Members are encouraged as treaty peoples to reflect on our collective responsibility for reconciliation, and to embody the BC College of Nurses and Midwives practice standard of Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-Racism.
To encourage action, the union is sponsoring a book draw. Members are invited to share the concrete steps they are taking or have taken towards reconciliation. Need ideas on steps you can take? Read these ReconciliACTION plans.
Submitted ideas from members may be shared (anonymously) on the BCNU Truth and Reconciliation webpage.
Thank you to all members who shared their steps toward reconciliation. All submissions were entered in a random draw. Congratulations to these members who will receive a signed copy of Coexistence by Cree writer, Billy-Ray Belcourt:
Mingxing G. (South Islands)
Temeeka G. (West Kootenay)
Brittney H. (Richmond Vancouver)
Bonnie P. (Fraser Valley)
For more reading, members are welcome to visit the Indigenous literature section of the BCNU library for these titles and more:
- The Orange Shirt Story by Phyllis Webstad
- Truth Telling by Michelle Good
- 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
Truth and Reconciliation Week: September 23 – 27, 2024
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is hosting a series of free one-hour Lunch and Learn webinars providing an immersive experience to un-learn the myths of colonial history in Canada. Each session will feature presentations from subject matter experts, followed by a Q&A with participants. Topics include:
- Sept. 23: Health related impacts of the residential school system
- Sept. 24: Allyship and confronting unconscious bias
- Sept. 25: Impacts and addressing Indigenous identity fraud
- Sept. 26: A community perspective of United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Sept. 27 How do we address the barriers to reconciliation?
Attend a local Truth and Reconciliation Event
On Sept. 30, members are encouraged to wear orange and attend a Truth and Reconciliation Day event in their community. Many First Nations and off-reserve organizations hold public events that will be posted on local websites or in print media.
Resources
BCCNM Practice Standard Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-Racism
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports
Orange Shirt Society
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation offers all of us, as treaty peoples, an opportunity to intentionally reimagine the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and to redress ongoing colonial harms. The day was initially known as Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Jack Webstad as a memorial to the children forced to attend residential schools. It raised awareness of the forced assimilation of Indigenous children by retelling the story of the teacher who removed Phyllis’ new orange shirt on her first day of school at St. Joseph Mission Residential School near Williams Lake, BC.