Canadians across the country marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday, Sept. 30, for the sixth consecutive year, honouring residential school survivors and children who never made it home. Events were held in communities including Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Iqaluit, while Prime Minister Mark Carney was scheduled to speak at an event in Edmonton.

CBC/Radio-Canada, APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation hosted their annual Remembering the Children ceremony on Parliament Hill. The 90-minute event was to include speeches by residential school survivors, elders and Indigenous leaders, with performances scheduled by Tia Wood, Soleil Launiere, Silla and Adrian Sutherland. Guests and participants were encouraged to bring children’s shoes and place them at the front of the stage in honour of children who attended the schools.

The National Day on Sept. 30 was established in response to a recommendation in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report. The commission’s landmark 2015 final report described the residential school system as a central part of a state-backed policy of cultural genocide.

Beginning in the 19th century, more than 150,000 Indigenous children in Canada were separated from their families and communities and sent to church-run residential schools. Between 1857 and 1996, 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend church-run, government-funded schools, where abuse, malnutrition and inadequate health care were rampant.

The commission initially documented 3,200 deaths of children at residential schools. Experts at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation continue to examine millions of records and say the actual number of deaths could be much higher.

Carney issued a statement before the Edmonton event in English, French and nine Indigenous languages: Algonquin, Denesuline, Innu-Aimun, Inuktitut (Northern Baffin), Mi’kmaq, Michif, Oji-Cree, Plains Cree and Western Ojibway. He said the federal government “bears responsibility” for the “profound and enduring harm” caused by the residential school system.

“We owe Survivors more than remembrance,” Carney said. “We owe them action. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action remain a road map for that work.” Independent monitor Indigenous Watchdog reported that, in the 11 years since the calls were issued, 14 of the 94 have been completed. It classified 41 as in progress, 24 as stalled and 15 as not started.

Stephanie Scott, executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, said the day called for remembrance and solidarity as well as confronting efforts to distort history. “On this day, we gather to honour every child taken by the residential school system and to stand in solidarity with those who survived it. As denialist voices seek to distort the past, our collective responsibility to uphold the truth is more important than ever,” she said.

“Honouring these children means facing our history with unwavering honesty and ensuring that `Never Again’ is not just a phrase, but a binding commitment backed by meaningful action,” Scott said.

Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour attended a survivors’ flag-raising ceremony on Parliament Hill. In a statement, she said she, like many Canadians, did not grow up knowing the history of residential schools, and described facing that “painful and unsettling history” as essential to building a better future.

“We cannot change the past, but we can choose how we move forward,” Arbour said. “It begins with listening with empathy to First Nations, Inuit and Metis voices. It continues through honest dialogue, ongoing learning and concrete action to address the inequities inherited from past wrongs.”

Culture Minister Marc Miller said the day gives Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples an opportunity to come together and reflect on the legacy of residential schools. “Reconciliation is a responsibility we all share, and by connecting with each other and our history, we can help build a future grounded in understanding, respect and hope.”

The Canadian Press first published this report on Sept. 30, 2026. It was written by Alessia Passafiume.

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.