Survivors’ Flag raised on Parliament Hill

The Survivors’ Flag was raised on Parliament Hill on September 30 in a ceremony honouring residential-school Survivors and the children who never returned home.

According to the federal announcement published September 30, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors and Elders joined representatives of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenous leaders and federal officials for the event.

The orange flag was created through consultation with Survivors and is intended as a public expression of remembrance, resilience and the continuing work of reconciliation. Its raising coincided with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

Anyone affected by the residential-school system can contact the National Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419. The Hope for Wellness Help Line is available at 1-855-242-3310 or through hopeforwellness.ca.

Illustrative file photo of a Survivors’ Flag: chris robert / Unsplash Licence. Cropped and resized; it does not show the September 30 ceremony.