Children’s Healthcare Canada National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Statement

“Reconciliation is all around us. It isn’t limited to just one day, one moment, one act. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a reminder that when we acknowledge truth, listen to one another, and work together, we can build a more prosperous country where all children and families have equal access to services and opportunities.” 

- Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada 

On September 30, Canada observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation recognizes that at least 150,000 Indigenous children from across the country were forcibly separated from their families and communities and brought to residential schools where they were removed from their culture, traditions, and languages. This national day calls for deep reflection on Canada’s colonial history and a shared recognition of our collective responsibility to advance reconciliation efforts and address the systemic inequities that First Nations, Metis and Inuit people continue to experience across the country. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established in response to Call to Action #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which calls on the federal government in partnership with Indigenous peoples, to create a federal statutory day of remembrance.

Children’s Healthcare Canada and the Pediatric Chairs of Canada acknowledge the ongoing impact of residential schools and other oppressive polices on Indigenous children, their families and communities. As a national association dedicated to improving child and youth health outcomes, we acknowledge that Indigenous children in Canada continue to endure deeply unjust health disparities, with First Nations infant mortality rates up to four times higher than non-Indigenous children, and alarmingly higher rates of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes.[i] We are resolute in our commitment to right-sizing children’s healthcare systems, working to dismantle these inequities and ensure that Indigenous children receive the dignified, culturally safe, and timely care they deserve.

We pledge to continue promoting health equity for Indigenous children and youth by working closely with our members—healthcare organizations across the continuum of care—and with Indigenous peoples, to strengthen the healing and reconciliation process. Together, we will aim to build a future where every child in Canada has access to high-quality healthcare, grounded in respect, cultural safety, and justice.