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Town of Shelburne hosts flag raising to commemorate Truth and Reconciliation Day

October 1, 2026   ·   0 Comments

The Town of Shelburne raised the Every Child Matters flag on Wednesday morning, Sept. 30.

Following a proclamation at a recent council meeting, the Town of Shelburne made the decision official with a flag raising held in Jack Downing Park, across the street from town hall.

Attended by members of town council, Constable Andrew Fines of the Ontario Provincial Police, and various members of the public, Mayor Wade Mills welcomed all guests to the flag raising before reading off the proclamation once more.

“In June of 2021, the federal government passed new legislation marking Sept. 30 as a national statutory holiday to commemorate the tragic legacy of residential schools in Canada,” he read from the proclamation. “The establishment of a national holiday is in response to the 80th call to action within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.”

Truth and Reconciliation Day also aligns with Orange Shirt Day, which began in 2013. The day spawned a campaign of remembrance to honour Indigenous children forced to leave their families for residential schools.

The orange shirt is based on the personal experience of Phyllis Webstad of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, whose new orange shirt was seized from her on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Residential School.

Following the proclamation, Mills handed off the flag to town staff, who raised it together with other guests in attendance, officially marking Truth and Reconciliation Day in the Town of Shelburne.

“Much like the rest of the country, I think it’s an opportunity for us, as a community, to pause and think about the history as it relates to residential schools and the survivors in particular, and then consider what real reconciliation is all about,” Mills said. “I think one of the keys to that is that it’s an ongoing process. Today, in particular, but also throughout the rest of the year.”

As the ceremony concluded, Mills highlighted that reconciliation isn’t a holiday or a once-a-year affair, but a constant effort and commitment.

“It’s not just about today,” he said. “It’s not just about this week. It’s about the work that we do throughout the year, and trying to be mindful of our past and learning from those lessons and doing better as a community as we go forward.”

         

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