Truth and Reconciliation

Sep 26, 2025

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a solemn moment in Canada’s journey toward justice. It is a day to honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, and the families and communities who continue to carry the weight of this history. It calls on all of us to confront truths that were long denied and to recommit ourselves to building a society rooted in dignity, compassion, and respect. This day is also honoured as Orange Shirt Day which recalls the story shared by former residential school student Phyllis (Jack) Webstad about her first day at residential school as a six-year old girl when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her.

In Nova Scotia, this day carries profound meaning. The Mi’kmaq are the original inhabitants of this land, and their rights, culture, and knowledge form a foundation of our collective identity. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action remind us that reconciliation is not symbolic, but lived through education, remembrance, and concrete change. Human rights, protected by law in Nova Scotia, are inseparable from this responsibility. To uphold human rights here means confronting systemic racism, respecting treaties, and working to create communities where Indigenous peoples can thrive without barriers to equality and justice.

Truth and Reconciliation is an ongoing commitment to justice. It asks us to listen with humility, to act with integrity, and to recognize that reconciliation strengthens not only Indigenous communities but the entire fabric of our province. By facing this history together, we move closer to a future where human rights are not aspirations but a reality for every person who calls Nova Scotia home.

The preceding is a message from Joseph Fraser, Director & CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

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