Orange Shirt Day - Every Child Matters

September 30th has been declared Orange Shirt Day annually in recognition of the harm the Residential School System did to the children's sense of self-esteem and wellbeing. It is a day to remember what happened to First Nations students at Residential Schools across Canada.

The date was chosen because is the time of the year where children were taken from their homes to Residential Schools.

The idea grew out of PhillipsJack Webstad's story of having her shinny new orange shirt taken away in her first day of school at the Mission in 1973, when she was six.

The celebration of this day has become an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies in schools. It is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to achieve reconciliation.