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Lheidli T’enneh Chief calls for reflection on Truth and Reconciliation Day

Chief Dolleen Logan says Sept. 30 is a day to learn and reflect
Chief Logan Orange Shirt Pin
Chief Dolleen Logan wearing an Orange Shirt Day pin.

Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan is encouraging everyone to reflect on Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

“I urge everyone to reflect on truth and reconciliation and what it means to you,” said Logan.

“For non-Indigenous Canadians it is a day of learning. Like I’ve said in the past, take five minutes to learn your local history. It’s a day to read more, learn more about the truth and what happened to Indigenous Canadians for the past 150 years.”

Logan said for Indigenous Canadians it is another day to reflect on being the first citizens of what is now called Canada.

“It’s another day for us to recall the stories of our grandparents and the intergenerational trauma that has been happening for the past 150 years.”

Logan said while she does support the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, a date which is also known as Orange Shirt Day, she wishes First Nations across Canada had been consulted on the date selected for the federal holiday.

Logan said she would have chosen May 27 when the bodies of 215 children in unmarked graves were confirmed at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Since then, thousands of unmarked graves have been confirmed at Residential school sites across Canada.

“If it is a day for us to reflect on truth and if it was on the day the 215 children were found it would have been a true day of truth and reconciliation,” said Logan.

She is also disappointed that, as a federal statutory holiday, not everyone will be able to take time off and fully participate in the day.

Federal statutory holidays allow employees in the federal public service a paid day off.  Although schools in B.C. will have the day off, the province has not made Sept. 30 a provincial statutory holiday.

Sept. 30 instead remains a day of commemoration as it has in the past for Orange Shirt Day, but that means some employers have chosen not to recognize the holiday.

“It is a national holiday everyone should be able to have to be able to take time off,” said Logan.

“Everyone not just First Nations people but everyone. How are we going to get truth and reconciliation if not everyone is able to participate? I think it should be just like Christmas where everything is shut down.”

Lheidli T’enneh was also involved in a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation event at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park but has cancelled its involvement in the formal event due to rising COVID-19 cases.

“We shut it down because the numbers are growing rapidly in Prince George again and we want to keep it safe,” said Logan.

“While we can’t gather in large crowds, we can certainly all do our part to be more educated in the truth and in doing so be ready to support efforts aimed at reconciliation when the time comes.”

However, an informal event, without Lheidli T’enneh’s involvement, will be going forward with an honoring walk around the park at 11:30 a.m. and a healing drum circle at 2:15 p.m.

Everyone is also encouraged to bring flowers to the monument to the 215 children on display through the windows at the Exploration Place atrium.