September 30, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Dear Unifor Local 2002 members,
Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - also known as Orange Shirt Day. It is a day to remember the survivors and recognize the atrocities of the Canadian residential school system that devastated First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Canada. It is a day that serves as a reminder of the injustices faced by Canada's Indigenous peoples, and it calls on each and every one of us to confront these truths with respect, empathy, and action.
From 1867 to 1998, over 150,000 Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in government funded “schools” where they were banned from speaking their ancestral languages and practicing their cultures and traditions. The intention was to assimilate Indigenous children by removing them from their families, their Indigenous communities, and their lands.
For most of us, we will never truly understand the firsthand pain and the ongoing impacts of Canada’s residential school system.
Today is an opportunity for us as union members and as a nation to remember and acknowledge this painful legacy in Canada’s history and the lasting impact these actions have had on Indigenous communities. We must all make a promise to education, understanding, and committing ourselves to the ongoing work of reconciliation. We must mourn the children that never came home and support the survivors that did.
As union members, we are bound by principles of solidarity, fairness, and justice. These values align closely with the spirit of reconciliation. We must stand with Indigenous communities in their struggle for equality, recognition, and healing.
Reconciliation is not just a national issue; it is a human one, and it requires all of us to actively engage in building a better future.
In solidarity,
Tammy Moore, President
Unifor Local 2002
24-09-30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation EN.txt