Ottawa, September 30, 2020 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation is proud to support the City of Ottawa Orange Shirt Day Proclamation and to remember and honour Phyllis Webstad and all of the Indigenous children who attended Residential Schools. Today is the day to wear an orange shirt to remind ourselves that all children matter, and deserve to be treated equally. To view the message from Mayor Jim Watson, please visit: http://bit.ly/OSdayottawa

Orange Shirt Day began in William’s Lake British Columbia and was started by Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nations’ Elder, Phyllis Jack Webstad who had her new orange shirt taken away on her first day at the St. Joseph Mission Residential School when she was six years old. Since 2013, in solidarity with Phyllis, Canadians of all backgrounds have been wearing orange shirts to acknowledge the experiences of Indigenous students who attended Residential Schools across Canada and to ensure that future generations of Indigenous children know that they are valued.

The movement calls for every Canadian to wear an orange shirt on September 30 in the spirit of healing and Reconciliation. This date was chosen because it is the time of year when Indigenous children were taken from their homes to go to Residential Schools.

“In the spirit of Orange Shirt Day, we decided to design our own commemorative T-Shirts,” said Teresa Edwards, Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel at the Legacy of Hope Foundation. “These shirts highlight the three important steps to Reconciliation in Action. Remember those who survived Residential Schools and those who did not, Honour all those who attended and the many generations it impacted and Inspire Action in your own community to build a brighter future for everyone in Canada. The text on the back of this shirt is meant as a conversation starter on how we can each make a difference and work towards Reconciliation in our schools, our communities, and in our country. It’s an opportunity for every individual to reflect on what they are doing to bring about Reconciliation.”

The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is a charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for 20 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing impacts of the Residential and Day School Systems, Sixties Scoop, and other colonial acts of oppression against Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Survivors, their descendants and their communities. LHF works to address racism and to promote healing among everyone in Canada. The LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustices and to contribute to the equality, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples in order to foster Reconciliation.

For media inquiries:
Teresa Edwards, B.A. JD.
Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Phone:  613-237-4806 Ext. 303 info@legacyofhope.ca