We recognize that this news release may contain information that is difficult for many readers. For immediate emotional support, Survivors and their families are encouraged to contact the National Residential Schools Crisis Line for immediate emotional and referral support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.
The Hope for Wellness Helpline is also available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-242-3310 or via online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca. This service is available 24/7 in English and French and upon request in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
October 1, 2025 - Ottawa, unceded Algonquin Traditional Territory, Ontario - Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Today First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Residential School Survivors gathered on Parliament Hill, unceded territory of the Anishinabeg Algonquin, to re-raise the Survivors' Flag in honour of Residential School Survivors and in memory of the children who never returned home.
Survivors, Elder Claudette Commanda, and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) were joined at this commemorative event by leaders of National Indigenous Organizations, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.
Residential schools forcibly separated Indigenous children from family and community, and subjected them to abuse and neglect and prohibited from practising their cultures, traditions, and languages. The trauma imposed by this system continues to reverberate for Survivors and the generations that followed.
The Survivors' Flag reminds us all of this shameful treatment endured by Indigenous Peoples in Canada and symbolizes Canada's ongoing commitment to reconciliation.
