09/29/2026
Welcome to a new week!
This morning, when I arrived at the office, I saw many of our Seniors clients wearing orange shirts and getting ready to attend the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event at Nathan Phillips Square.
It suddenly made me realize how quickly time has passed. Hiếu was also there at this event last year.
For some reason, seeing everyone dressed in orange this morning touched me, and I felt that I wanted to share a little information with our group—especially with those who are new to Canada.
September 30 – A Part of Canadian History Newcomers Should Know
When we immigrate to a new country, we usually begin with very practical things: completing paperwork, finding a job, learning English, finding a place to live, paying taxes, sending our children to school, and gradually building a stable life.
But alongside learning how to live in a new country, there is something else that is worth taking the time to learn:
The history of the country where we now live.
This is also part of the knowledge newcomers may encounter when preparing for the Canadian citizenship test.
Canada has beautiful cities, schools, a healthcare system, and many opportunities for newcomers. But Canada also has some very painful chapters in its history.
What is important to recognize is that Canada has made significant efforts to learn about, acknowledge, and confront these parts of its history rather than simply avoiding them.
Truth and Reconciliation is part of that ongoing process.
Why September 30?
September 30 is observed every year as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and it is closely associated with Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters.
Many people working in the federal public service, banks, Canada Post, and other organizations observe this day. Around this time, we often see people wearing orange shirts at schools, workplaces, and community events across Canada.
But behind the colour orange is a history that everyone living in Canada—including newcomers—should take the time to understand.
The Story Behind the Orange Shirt
Truth: Canada once had a system of Indian Residential Schools, consisting of 140 schools that were funded or administered by the federal government. The system was connected to policies aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples.
Many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were separated from their families and communities. They were also separated from their languages, cultures, and traditions.
The Government of Canada has since acknowledged the harmful nature of these policies, and the effects of the residential school system continue to affect generations of Indigenous families and communities.
In 1973, Phyllis Webstad was only six years old. She was sent to a residential school in British Columbia.
Before she left for school, her grandmother bought her a brand-new orange shirt. Phyllis loved the shirt and was excited to wear it to school.
But when she arrived, her clothing was taken away from her. Her orange shirt was never returned.
Phyllis later shared her story and the painful experience she endured as a child.
Her story helped make the orange shirt a symbol of Orange Shirt Day and its powerful message:
Every Child Matters.
The message reminds us that every child has value and deserves to be loved, protected, respected, and allowed to grow up connected to their family, community, and culture.
A simple orange shirt became a powerful reminder of children who were taken away from their families and communities.
Truth Before Reconciliation
The two words Truth and Reconciliation carry an important meaning.
Notice that “Truth” comes before “Reconciliation.”
Truth – Facing What Happened
First, we must be willing to look honestly at what happened.
The truth is the truth.
It should not be denied, avoided, romanticized, or changed simply to make history easier to hear.
Because if we cannot face the truth, it is very difficult to talk meaningfully about reconciliation.
On June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stood in the House of Commons and, on behalf of the Government of Canada and the people of Canada, formally apologized to former students of Indian Residential Schools.
He acknowledged that the assimilation policies were wrong and caused profound harm.
Later, on November 24, 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued another formal apology to former students of residential schools in Newfoundland and Labrador who had not been included in the 2008 apology.
Only after acknowledging the truth can we begin to talk about:
Reconciliation – Moving Forward Together
Reconciliation does not mean simply saying “sorry” and then considering the matter finished.
It is a long-term process of listening to people who have experienced harm, learning about history, acknowledging wrongdoing, and working together to address the consequences that still exist.
Put simply:
Knowing that we were wrong is the first step.
Having the courage to acknowledge that we were wrong is a more important step.
Trying to repair what can be repaired is what creates meaningful change.
What Can We, as Vietnamese Canadians, Learn From This?
Vietnamese people can understand this idea through our own history.
We, too, carry the stories of a people who have experienced war, separation, loss, and many complicated periods of history.
Every family may have different memories and different perspectives on the events that took place.
And perhaps for that reason, when we immigrate to Canada, we should also take the time to learn about the history of the country where we now live and the community of which we are now a part—including the parts of history that may not always be easy to hear.
We can simply begin by learning, listening, and respecting stories that may be different from our own.
When a country has the courage to look back at what happened, acknowledge the pain that was caused, and work toward addressing the consequences that remain, that becomes part of building a better society for future generations.
For newcomers, understanding Canadian history is also a way of understanding more deeply the country where we live, where our children are growing up, and where many of us have chosen to build a new life.
September 30 Is More Than Wearing Orange
September 30 is therefore not simply a day to wear an orange shirt.
It is a day to remember, learn, listen, and reflect.
It is also an opportunity to learn how to live and participate respectfully in a country that many of us have chosen as our second home.
