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Canada / Canada’s Great Moments / Drawing 36

Canadian history · Drawing 36 of 37

Listening and remembering

September 30, since 2021

Colouring illustration: Listening and remembering
An imagined visit by an Elder to a classroom; the people drawn are not real Survivors, and the plain shirts are left for the child to colour.© Atlasmio · All rights reserved

Every September 30, people across Canada remember the First Nations, Inuit and Métis children who were taken from their families and sent to residential schools. Many wear orange and listen to Survivors.

Look together

How do you show someone that you are listening?

An idea to try

Borrow a picture book about residential schools by an Indigenous author from the library and read it together, taking time for your child’s questions.

For the adult reading along

A little more to discover

For more than 150 years, over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children attended residential schools, often far from home. The schools aimed to separate them from their families and cultures; children were punished for speaking their languages, all suffered from loneliness, thousands were abused and many never returned home. In response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Bill C-5, given Royal Assent on June 3, 2021, made September 30 a federal statutory holiday. September 30 is also Orange Shirt Day, begun in 2013 in Williams Lake, British Columbia, after Survivor Phyllis Webstad told how her new orange shirt was taken from her, at age six, when she arrived at residential school.

Answer simply, without upsetting details, and stress that Survivors, their families and their nations are still here. Support, 24 hours: 1-866-925-4419 or 1-855-242-3310.

Sources and context (3)

These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.

  • National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation — Residential School HistoryFor more than 150 years First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families; more than 150,000 attended; many never returned; intent to separate them from families and cultures; punished for speaking their languages; loneliness and abuse.
  • Orange Shirt Society — Orange Shirt DayBegan in 2013 in Williams Lake, BC; Phyllis Webstad’s new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, taken from her at six on her first day at residential school; September 30 chosen as the time of year children were taken from their homes. Trademark: see rights notes.
  • Canadian Heritage — National Day for Truth and ReconciliationEstablished in response to Call to Action 80; Bill C-5 received Royal Assent on June 3, 2021; Canadians encouraged to wear orange on September 30 to honour Survivors and remember the children who never returned home; support lines 1-866-925-4419 and 1-855-242-3310.

Source review: 2026-09-24. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.