Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day

Published: September 30, 2024

Last week, Civeo marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.  

Select Civeo sites offered special Indigenous events, meals or awareness initiatives around the day. At Civeo’s Canadian head office in Edmonton, the team wore official 2024 orange shirts to support the Orange Shirt Society.  

The team event featured a smudge and pipe ceremony led by Senior Director, Indigenous Strategic Initiatives, Trevor Gladue. After, James Norris, Manager, Indigenous Relations, spoke about the lasting impact of the residential schools on survivors and the Indigenous community.    

“While these are days of remembrance and not celebrations, The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day, are days to acknowledge truths, and that is a positive thing,” James said. “We at Civeo believe the business community has an important role to play in reconciliation and on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we commit to continuing to promote good relationships and economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Part of that is acknowledging the hard truths of our past, the injustices of the residential schools and the lasting harm that they did” 

The team closed out the day of acknowledgment by sharing a feast (See below for a few pictures).  

“By participating in the cultural awareness and sharing on days such as these, we can continue the effort of working and living together, while supporting the reclamation of Indigenous culture for these communities.”