6 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
The Assiniboine Park Conservancy has been observing Orange Shirt Day since 2021 and for the third year in a row is hosting a sacred fire to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to honour the resilience, strength, and bravery of the Survivors of the residential school system. Fire, a sacred gift from the Creator, is used across many Indigenous traditions for wellness, healing and ceremony, creating a bridge between the present and our ancestors. Indigenous educator and Elder Wayne Lalman will share traditional knowledge through tobacco teachings and interact with visitors throughout the day.
LIGHTING A SACRED FIRE FOR REFLECTION AND HEALING
BY KRISTIN MARAND
T he sacred fire will be maintained from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Indigenous designers, and community leaders to celebrate Indigenous culture. The garden is also the temporary home of the residential school totem pole, created by Kwakiutl artist Charles Joseph, which will eventually stand in Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization revitalization project in downtown Winnipeg. “We’ll be hosting the sacred fire in the fire node at the Indigenous People’s Garden, which is outside The Leaf,” explains Laura Cabak, director of communications and public relations for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “The Indigenous People’s Garden was very intentionally created and designed to be a welcoming space for People’s Garden at The Leaf. The Indigenous People’s Garden is a gathering place designed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Indigenous people that celebrates their culture and history, but also to provide a space for experiences to be shared.” “The fire node in particular is a space that really lends itself well to meaningful experiences and reflection. Welcoming people, all people, into that space on this day is a nice opportunity to give people the chance to reflect on the meaning of this day and why it’s important. To share what can be a really positive experience, as we all look for ways to move forward in a positive way, considering the really harmful impacts of the residential school system.” The attractions at Assiniboine Park, The Leaf, and the zoo will be open regular hours on September 30th, with a
portion of admission proceeds going towards supporting two Indigenous-led organizations. A minimum donation of $10,000 will be shared between the Orange Shirt Society and Ka Ni Kanichihk. “It’s a day of awareness, and we want people to treat it as such, but if people choose to come to The Leaf or the zoo on this day, we are donating 15 percent of sales from admissions to Indigenous-led organizations,” says Cabak. “The Orange Shirt Society is the organization behind the creation of Orange Shirt Day, which eventually became the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Ka Ni Kanichihk is a local organization. We have done this for a few years, and shared that donation with a few different organizations, and those are the two that we’ve chosen for this year.” Orange shirts, designed by Paige Spence, an Indigenous woman who interned at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, will be available for purchase at Wild Things Unique Gifts located at the zoo entrance on Roblin Boulevard. The shirts cost $15 for children and $20 for adults. Orange lapel ribbons will also be offered to visitors with a suggested donation of $4, available at The Leaf, the fire node in the Indigenous People’s Garden and multiple locations within the zoo. One hundred percent of the proceeds of the shirts and lapel ribbons will be donated. In addition, park staff are invited to wear orange shirts or lapel ribbons as a gesture of solidarity and empathy on Monday, September 29th, and Tuesday, September 30th. For more information, visit assiniboinepark.ca/events. ▲
SUPPLIED PHOTOS
In honour of residential school Survivors, students, families and school communities, Winnipeg School Division acknowledges and reflects on the harmful past while continuing to cultivate paths together to The Good Life, Mino-Pimatisiwin. JOURNEY TO TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) acknowledges it has been 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued 94 Calls to Action. On June 21, CPSM launched a Restorative Practices Program with a sacred pipe ceremony. The Restorative Practices Program incorporates Indigenous philosophies with regulatory approaches. The program supports doctors, residents, clinical assistants, and physician assistants in building a foundation of trust and restoring relationships with patients. The Restorative Practices Program represents a step toward reconciliation, with a focus on healing and preventing future harm. Scan the QR code to learn more about the program and CPSM's actions toward reconciliation.
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