The Town of Drumheller will join many Albertan municipalities in observing September 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This observation will make September 30 a permanent statutory holiday for all Town employees, and the Town of Drumheller will lower their flags to half-mast in recognition of this day.

“This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is important,” shares Deputy Mayor, Jay Garbutt. “Mayor and Council encourage all members of Administration, and the entire community, to take this time to reflect and learn about the tragic residential schools, and ultimately the intergenerational trauma caused to our Indigenous communities across the nation.”

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for reflection on the country’s ongoing reconciliation efforts and relationship with Indigenous communities. The Town collectively calls upon all residents of the Drumheller Valley and surrounding area to observe the day, reflect on personal roles in reconciliation and honour Indigenous communities by partaking in Orange Shirt Day on September 30.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has webinars available to the general public that are now open for registration. The City of Edmonton has also shared a number of family-friendly Truth Telling and Teachings videos available on their website. Indigenous Canada is a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOCC) from the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada, and is open for registration. for all interested individuals.

The Town of Drumheller respectfully acknowledges that we are on Treaty 7 territory, the ancestral and traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy: Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika, as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. We recognize the land as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those on whose territory we reside.

Supporting documentation:

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
City of Edmonton
University of Alberta