ORANGE SHIRT DAY: NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

HOWEVER, WEARING ORANGE ISN'T ENOUGH, WRITES VICTORIA BOMBERRY

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day to listen and learn in preparation for action.

During September, it's been easy to notice orange shirts being worn and orange flags flying throughout our city. Wearing an orange shirt or flying an orange flag is an act of solidarity that represents an important first step in reconciliation — learning the truth about the history and relationships between Indigenous Peoples and nonIndigenous peoples.

The increased presence of orange shirts and flags throughout our city are signals of Hamilton's increased awareness of the harms and ongoing legacy of Canada's residential school system, which forced generations of Indigenous children to leave their homes and communities to attend schools where they were taught to assimilate into settler society by violently erasing their Indigenous identities.

However, it's important to remember that wearing orange shirts and flying orange flags are just the first steps in the long journey before us. Our next steps to advance reconciliation will require individual and collective commitments and investments.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls us to continue learning about the violence committed against Indigenous Peoples not only through Canada's residential school system but also through Canada's numerous social and economic policies that have sought to disempower and dispossess Indigenous Peoples.

As we learn these truths, we must then be committed to and invested in meaningful action to redress historic harms that have created contemporary legacies of inequities that disproportionately discriminate against Indigenous Peoples. To achieve the transformational change the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called for to address these inequities, our actions must be led and guided by local Indigenous communities and leaders.

Indigenous communities and leaders must be supported to define what reconciliation in Hamilton looks like and how we can realize reconciliation throughout our city.

Some of this work has begun. The Coalition of Hamilton Indigenous Leadership (CHIL) as well as each of the Indigenous agencies in Hamilton have been collaborating with non-Indigenous agencies and government representatives to advance reconciliation through targeted initiatives and investments. One such initiative has been through the City of Hamilton's meaningful investments to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous community members experiencing homelessness in Hamilton.

This investment has led to direct investments in Indigenous-led programs and supports. This "Made in Hamilton" model has helped Indigenous leadership in other urban centres to negotiate similar agreements increasing their capacity to meet the needs of other urban Indigenous communities. These direct investments in Indigenous community leadership and autonomy are a step towards reconciliation.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important day for us to gather as a city and commemorate the history and legacy of Canada's residential school system. The Truth and Reconciliation gatherings being held throughout September provide an opportunity for all community members to listen, learn and reflect on how we can each advance reconciliation in our homes, neighbourhoods, work and throughout our city.

This Sept. 30, CHIL will continue to advance this work through the release of the first Indigenous community vision for Hamilton. Informed by community conversations and leadership discussions, it will call attention to needed investments and commitments to ensure Indigenous Peoples thrive in our city.

Hamilton, let's build on the momentum seen throughout our city to boldly step forward with meaningful action. Our next steps to advance reconciliation as a single municipality, collectively as a province, and as nations to nation will require us all to commit to investing in Indigenous communities and leadership.