On September 30, Cooperation Canada will observe the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by closing our offices and encouraging our team to reflect on the painful legacy and impacts of residential schools, and our role in truth and reconciliation. As early and recent settlers on this land, at Cooperation Canada we are unpacking our individual responsibilities and collective duty to speak up and not look away from colonial oppression at home or abroad, and to stand up and not back down in our efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and justice. Our staff are encouraged to observe Orange Shirt Day on September 30 in consideration for the survivors and intergenerational survivors of the residential school system and commemoration of those who did not return home.
Cooperation Canada recognizes that we can and must do better to address colonial legacies in international cooperation, learning from Indigenous peoples in Canada and across the world.
We encourage all members of the international cooperation community to take part in related events that are planned across the country and consult some of the publicly available resources.
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
- Reconciliation Canada
- MMIWG Calls for Justice and Legal Analysis of Genocide
- Indigenous Services Canada
- Indigenous Resource Network
- Native Land Digital (To learn more about and craft land acknowledgments)
- National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 (24 hours/day)
- National Film Board of Canada – Indigenous Cinema (A collection of films by Indigenous filmmakers)