National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2021 marks the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in which we honour the lost and missing children of residential schools, the families left behind, and the survivors. Reconciliation is the process of healing the relationship between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Canadians, including the recognition and acknowledgement of our country’s tragic and painful past, and the ongoing impact this history has on today.

Residential schools, the erasure of Indigenous culture and language, systemic racism and discrimination against Indigenous people, these are part of the fabric of our country. It is important that we acknowledge this truth. We cannot turn away, diminish, or try to hide from the ugly parts of who we are. We did that for far too long. Rather it is time for us to turn towards the truth – to learn from it, to honour and validate it, and to move forward together by acknowledging that our history and how we got here includes these difficult stories and experiences.

Reconciliation is a journey. It is not remembering on a given day, performing a single action, or championing a statement. In words adapted from the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, reconciliation is a “repeated and concerted effort to establish and maintain a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in this country. It means learning the truth, acknowledging the harm, atoning for its causes, and taking action to change behaviour.”

I have had the privilege of traveling to many countries around the world and seeing first-hand how different societies deal with the ugly parts of their history. Some seem to have tremendous difficulty acknowledging the stains of the past, and as such, are likely to repeat those mistakes in present day. Others take ownership of and embrace even the most horrific aspects of their history and pledge in both word and action to never allow similar atrocities to happen again.

As Canada embarks upon and continues our journey of reconciliation, I truly hope we become a nation that embraces our wrongdoings and never again sees these kinds of atrocities.

On September 30^th, doctors across British Columbia are encouraged to close or pause their practices to recognize this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I will be spending part of the day reflecting on the history and present-day relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada. I will be doing so with friends and colleagues, and with Indigenous thought-leaders to guide us.

I encourage every British Columbian, every Canadian, to appreciate the significance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and to reflect upon how we have been shaped as a society and as a country by the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. I also encourage you to learn more about our history and hope some of the resources listed on the government’s Understanding the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation webpage will help.

- Dr Matthew Chow