National Day for Truth and Reconciliation- September 30, 2021

I feel ready for this Historic Day in Canada: a day of gratitude to the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, a tribute to missing Indigenous residential school children, and residential school survivors, their families and indigenous communities.

It is the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On September 30, 2021, I will join thousands of Canadians and proudly wear my orange shirt in support of my Indigenous friends and colleagues. ?As I have read in a message from the Clerk of the Privy Council: “We can never forget the thousands of children who were victims of Canada’s colonial policies—and those who continue to live with their tragic consequences.”?

We must take the time to educate ourselves and understand. Invest time, learn and reconcile with the first peoples to occupy the territory. Beyond the recognition of the territories, we must find the time to give a warm hug to our Indigenous friends.

I will be heading to Parliament Hill today. I want, deep in my heart, to be a part of this historic day and to ensure that each day that follows, I will be available to my Indigenous friends and be curious to learn more and more about the history that has marked our relationships.

Finally, I would like to quote Joséphine Bacon, in a passage from the book Kukum by Michel Jean, an Innu from Mashteuiatsh: "I don't always remember where I come from in my sleep, my dreams remind me of who I am. My origins will never leave me ” (free translation).?