The first official federal holiday acknowledging the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation will take place on September 30, 2021. The day is intended to allow Canadians the opportunity to observe and reflect on the discrimination and systematic racism that has been prevalent across the country since its inception.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) believes strongly in our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (DEIA) commitments, and that it’s important we identify this as an opportunity for reflection and ongoing learning.
Recognizing a national holiday is just one of the 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, released in December 2015. A report released by the Assembly of First Nations provides insight into the progress made toward reconciliation through each of the recommendations; some having made significant progress such as in museums and archives, and training for public servants, while others like education for reconciliation still leave room for improvement. We acknowledge this will take time and determination, as well as a commitment to taking an active role in our own education, and DEIA efforts.
September 30 has been recognized informally since 2013 as Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots project designed to raise awareness of the tragic treatment of Indigenous peoples through residential schools, and to promote action to support those who survived. Building on this momentum, the new holiday is part of the federal government’s commitments to furthering reconciliation efforts.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is expected to include educational efforts, similar to Remembrance Day, but for those seeking resources to further their own endeavours we have compiled a few items we recommend, to get you started.
- Assembly of First Nations Toolkit
- University of Alberta – Indigenous Canada Online Course
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation – University of Manitoba
Learn more about how your province has chosen to observe the day in this quick breakdown.
As REALTORS®, please note: CREA’s Member Experience Centre will not be available on Thursday, September 30. CREA WEBForms® support will be available from 8 a.m. until midnight (EDT).
