PRIME Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

“Reconciliation is a generational task, lived and practised every day. On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, we honour Survivors and the children who never returned home – and we reflect on the devastating legacy and the ongoing impacts of the residential school system.

“Residential schools are a truth that Survivors carried when governments would not. A truth recounted more than 6,600 times before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, so governments could no longer say ‘we did not know’. During this long and painful chapter in our history, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were separated from their families, communities, languages, and cultures.

“As a government and as a people, we match remembrance with responsibility.

“The federal government is moving forward on the important work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, including supporting Indigenous communities to uncover unmarked and undocumented graves and burial sites at residential schools. We are advancing the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

“We are building together – in health care, housing, education, and economic opportunity – upholding Indigenous rights and empowering communities with security and prosperity. Canada’s new government will be a steadfast partner by respecting self-determination, by prioritising Indigenous equity and co-ownership as vital principles of building, and by recognising that true partnership first requires shared understanding and that building Canada requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous voices to lead in the shared stewardship of this land.

“Because it is vital that we build, but equally vital how we build – with Indigenous leadership, prosperity, and opportunity being foundational. Reconciliation is a generational task – lived and practised every day.

“We pledge to build a future where Survivors are honoured with remembrance, with justice, and with a stronger Canada.”

PREMIER David Eby issued the following statement marking National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day:

“Today, we remember the children who never returned home from residential school. We stand with the survivors of these depraved institutions and the survivors of the intergenerational trauma that started within their walls. We listen to survivors’ stories, we recognize their courage and strength, and we learn from their experiences. Together, we recommit to walking the path of truth and reconciliation.

“The horrors of residential school have been well documented. From 1867 to 1996, the Canadian government forcibly removed more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children from their homes. They were separated from their families, communities and cultures. Many children endured years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to care for them.

“These institutions still hold many unanswered questions for survivors, their families and their communities, as well as all Canadians. First Nations in B.C. are searching for missing children who died attending Indian Residential Schools and at Indian Hospitals. Our government supports them in this crucial and heartbreaking work. This is an important step on the path toward truth, healing and justice.

“Yet as Indigenous Peoples, governments and allies continue to advance truth and reconciliation, a growing number of people seek to undermine those efforts by denying, downplaying or misrepresenting the basic facts about residential schools.

“Our government denounces residential school denialism and recognizes the harm that it causes not only survivors, families and communities, but also all of us. The spread of misinformation about residential schools increases division among us and seeks to deny the very real experiences of former students and their families. We can’t get to a better future unless we acknowledge and learn from our past.

“Our government is committed to addressing all forms of anti-Indigenous racism and continuing to work toward truth and reconciliation. These efforts include continuing to implement B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, amplifying and honouring the voices and advocacy of survivors, ensuring all K-12 students complete Indigenous-focused coursework before they graduate and addressing Indigenous-specific racism in our public policies, programs and services. We have more work to do, and we are committed to doing that work in true partnership with Indigenous Peoples.

“Today, I encourage everyone to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and join the journey toward truth and reconciliation. There are many Indigenous-led events happening throughout the province that are open to everyone who wants to listen, learn and remember. You can also read, watch and listen to Indigenous-created content; support an Indigenous-owned business; talk to family, friends and coworkers about reconciliation; and wear an orange shirt to show that ‘every child matters.’ Together, we can build a brighter future for everyone rooted in truth and reconciliation.”

CONSERVATIVE Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a statement on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

“For centuries, First Nations, Métis and Inuit have passed down traditions, culture and the stories of their peoples, binding generations together.

“The Residential School system – a product of a big government, ‘Ottawa-knows-best’ approach – led to horror and heartbreak. That abuse of state power tore families apart, silenced languages and shattered lives.

“True reconciliation is about restoring control to Indigenous peoples over their own lives – control that should always have been theirs – and partnering to deliver real results.

“Working side by side, we will end the government overreach resulting in horrors like the Residential School system. We will acknowledge the survivors and pursue reconciliation, including economic reconciliation: unlocking responsible resource development with willing Indigenous partners, creating good-paying jobs, building revenue for communities and protecting firearms rights needed for hunting and traditional ways of life.

“On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we commit to healing historical wrongs by unleashing opportunities for all Indigenous peoples as true partners in prosperity.”