September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Observed annually, the day is meant to recognize and bring awareness to residential school survivors and those who never came home. Orange Shirt Day is also marked on September 30. CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at some of the events in Ottawa to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Parliament Hill The national commemorative gathering for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be held on Parliament Hill on Wednesday starting at noon. The 90-minute commemorative ceremony “Remembering the Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” will highlight residential school survivors and Indigenous artists. It will be broadcast live on APTN. The Peace Tower and Senate Building will be illuminated in orange during the evening of September 30. Beechwood Cemetery Beechwood Cemetery will have several activities throughout the day. A screening of “The Story of a National Crime,” a 45-minute film, will be played followed by a reconciliation tour. A short ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. to acknowledge the children who never returned from residential schools and to honour the survivors. Beechwood Cemetery says you can learn from key historical figures who were involved in the residential school system and learn about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action. University of Ottawa U of O will hold a ceremony to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at University Square at 9:30 a.m. The event will be followed by a community feast. Ottawa Public Library Seven Ottawa Public Library branches will be open to provide a “National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Learning and Action Space.” The following branches will be open from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.: National Museum of History Museum access will be free all day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A selection of 10 Indigenous-made National Film Board of Canada short documentaries will be shown throughout the day. A morning ceremony will be held in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at 10 a.m. The ceremony will also be live streamed online. A sacred fire for truth and reconciliation will be held in the Indigenous Medicine Garden from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A live broadcast of the national commemorative garden on Parliament Hill will be played at 12 p.m. Reconciliation walking tours The public is invited to join the Reconciling History Walking Tour, a free 90-minute self-guided walking tour in downtown Ottawa. The tour offered by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society will take you through several points of interest. Organizers say the route is an opportunity to learn about the role of non-Indigenous peoples and the federal government in residential schools, and the lessons we can glean from history to address contemporary injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples. National Gallery of Canada The National Gallery of Canada will be open from noon to 5 p.m. with free admission. Canadian War Museum The Canadian War Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission all day. A live broadcast viewing of the morning ceremony held in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at the Canadian Museum of History will be held at 10 a.m. Rideau Hall The governor general’s residence will offer reconciliation-themed tours at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. in English and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in French. Spots are allotted on a first-come-first-served basis at the black gazebo by the front entrance. Ingenium museums The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the Canada Science and Technology Museum will all offer free admission for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Regular hours apply. Various activities and exhibitions to commemorate the day are being held. The Diefenbunker The Diefenbunker will be offering a guided tour, with a special look at Indigenous Cold War history. The museum says the tour will include stops in exhibitions including “An Inuit Story: The DEW Line” and “Canada and the Cold War.” “These two exhibitions highlight Indigenous, particularly Inuit, perspectives from the Cold War. You’ll also see historic rooms of the Diefenbunker like the War Cabinet Room and the Bank of Canada Vault,” the Diefenbunker says. Tours will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday and are free with general admission. Tickets must be reserved in advance, as there are limited spots available. Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica The public is invited to a bilingual mass for National Truth and Reconciliation Day at the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica at 7 p.m. Indigenous peoples from across the archdiocese will be sharing their culture and spirituality with music from the Kateri Native Ministry of Ottawa and Akwesasne Mohawk Choir. A reception will follow.
