Kawartha Lakes observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

KAWARTHA LAKES: The City of Kawartha Lakes held a flag raising ceremony at City Hall on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Residents gathered on the eastern lawn of City Hall, 26 Francis Street, Lindsay, to acknowledge and reflect on the painful legacy of Canada’s residential school system and reaffirm the City’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Observed each year on September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation recognizes the children who never returned from residential schools, as well as survivors, their families, and their communities. Public commemoration of this tragic history is an essential step in the process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Orange Shirt Day, also held on September 30th and led by Indigenous communities, highlights the intergenerational impacts of residential schools. The orange shirt has become a unifying recognition of the violence and intergenerational trauma inflicted by the residential school system in Canada. It is a powerful symbol of the culture, language, freedom, and identity that were taken from Indigenous children and stands as a reminder that Every Child Matters.

“I believe our shared future depends on depends on justice, healing, and taking action together,” noted Ward 3 Councillor Mike Perry, who is Métis. “If we listen with open hearts and walk together with respect, we can build a Canada where reconciliation is not just a word we speak, but a promise we keep and a right relationship we can live.”

Ways to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

For those unable to attend the flag raising, consider these opportunities to learn, reflect, and participate on Tuesday, September 30th:

National Commemorative Gathering: Watch Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (https://www.aptn.ca/media-centre/shows/remembering-the-children-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-2025/), a 90-minute multilingual broadcast live from Parliament Hill at 3 p.m. (ET) on APTN and APTN Languages.

National Centre for Truth and Education Virtual Programing: Taking Truth into Action

Truth and Reconciliation Week 2025 (https://trw-svr.nctr.ca/?_gl=1*ig4t3g*_ga*Nzk5NDE2MzQ5LjE3NTgzMDgwNTE.*_ga_9YG68CY2MC*czE3NTgzMDgwNTEkbzEkZzEkdDE3NTgzMDgwNjEkajUwJGwwJGg) is a transformative five-day journey for students (grades 1-12), educators, and the broader community to engage with the poignant history and enduring spirit of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

Kawartha Lakes Public Library: Orange Shirt Day Bookmark Drop-In – Saturday, September 27th and Tuesday, September 30th, during branch hours (wraps up 30 minutes before closing).

Suggested reads: From the Ashes (Jesse Thistle), The Witness Blanket (Carey Newman & Kirstie Hudson), Truth Telling (Michelle Good), Who We Are (Murray Sinclair), The Marrow Thieves (Cherie Dimaline), Halfbreed (Maria Campbell), and Stolen Words (Melanie Florence).

Further Learning and Reflection

Read the City’s Land Acknowledgement and First Nations policies (www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/living-here/first-nations.aspx).

Review the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report (nctr.ca/publications-and-reports/reports/)

Learn more from the Métis Nation of Ontario (www.metisnation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Indigenous-Peoples-Day-Resource-List.pdf); Curve Lake First Nation (curvelakefirstnation.ca/history/), and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (www.itk.ca/)

Access Government of Canada Learning Resources: Explore free training and educational tools for all ages in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html)