September 30 is almost here.

September 30 is almost here.

“It’s important for us to remember, we learn from it. And until people show they have learned from this, we will never forget.”

— Murray Sinclair

Murray Sinclair was an Anishinaabe lawyer, judge and Senator, and served as Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which spent years documenting the history and lasting impacts of the residential school system and listening to Survivors.

His message is simple: remembering is not enough. We have to learn from the past — and our actions have to show that we have learned.

As September 30 approaches, perhaps we should all ask ourselves:

What have I learned?
What biases do I still carry?
And what am I willing to do differently?

After what happened in Kamloops this past weekend, I think we all need to stop for a moment and look inward.

What are our biases?
What have we been taught?
What do we believe without questioning it?

And perhaps most importantly:

What do we do when we see racism, hatred or denial happening around us?

We cannot build a better Canada while allowing racism and hatred to continue causing such deep pain to Indigenous peoples, Survivors, families and communities.

Calling out racism isn't about attacking people. It is about refusing to normalize behaviour that causes harm.

Truth and Reconciliation asks something of all of us:

Listen. Learn. Question what we were taught. And have the courage to speak up when something is wrong.

September 30 is not simply a day to wear orange.

It is a day to remember the children who never returned home, honour Survivors and families, listen to Indigenous voices, and consider what reconciliation actually requires from each of us.

The Native Women's Shelter of Montreal has shared these words from Murray Sinclair about why we must never forget what happened to Indigenous peoples in Canada — and why the truth must continue to be heard.

On September 30, the Permanent Peoples' Tribunal is scheduled to release its final judgment following its 2026 session concerning missing and disappeared Indigenous children and unmarked burials in Canada. The Tribunal says it reviewed more than 2,000 pieces of evidence and heard testimony during its May hearings.

So I ask:

How can Canada grow if we refuse to face the truth?

How can reconciliation move forward if racism is allowed to go unchallenged?

And what will I do — what will you do — when we see it?

Listen.
Learn.
Speak up.

The truth matters.

And every child matters. 🧡

10 reflective questions

1. What have I learned about the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada?

2. What biases might I carry without realizing it?

3. Where did those beliefs come from?

4. Have I ever accepted something as “truth” without questioning it?

5. How do I respond when I witness racism?

6. Am I willing to listen when an Indigenous person tells me something is harmful?

7. What does reconciliation actually mean to me?

8. Am I doing anything that helps create understanding rather than division?

9. What am I willing to learn, unlearn and change?

10. When I see racism or hatred, will I stay silent — or speak up?

Keywords: Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenous peoples, Murray Sinclair, residential schools, Survivors, racism, reconciliation, September 30, Every Child Matters, Canada

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