Canada West members commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
CW teams hosting multiple events to promote education and reflection
Sept. 29, 2023 – Canada West members are joining Canadians nationwide in commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Teams from across CW are engaging with local Indigenous communities in hosting a variety of events this weekend, promoting reflection and helping student-athletes and fans learn more about the legacy of residential schools in Canada.
The conference is also taking steps to ensure its student-athletes and teams can observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in a way that best allows them to learn and engage with local Indigenous communities. Starting with the 2024-25 season and beyond, no Canada West regular season games will be scheduled on Sept. 30. The conference will actively encourage teams to spend the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation learning from Indigenous leaders, elders, and knowledge keepers in their communities.
“We believe all Canadians have a responsibility to recognize and learn more about the legacy of the residential school system and how it inflicted generational trauma that still impacts our society to this day,” says Kavie Toor, VP Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Canada West. “We felt strongly we need to give our student-athletes an opportunity to spend the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation engaging with their local Indigenous communities, including elders and knowledge keepers on their campuses. By not scheduling regular season games on Sept. 30 moving forward, it allows the focus of the day to be placed on education and reflection.”
Saskatchewan Huskies unveil new Indigenous Logo
As part of the University of Saskatchewan's Week of Reflection, the Huskies will honour residential school survivors and their families at their home events.
The team unveiled a new Indigenous logo on Wednesday, championed by a group of Indigenous student-athletes in a collaboration with First Nations artist Chris Chipak.
The Huskies football team will host their National Day for Truth and Reconciliation game on Friday night, which will feature a pre-game market highlighting local Indigenous artists, Elders and residential school survivors taking part in the coin toss, and a performance from Indigenous anthem singer Christine Marie.
The Huskies cross country team will also host the inaugural Dakota Classic Cross Country Meet on Saturday. Formerly known as the Sled Dog Open, the race will take place at the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, the first and only self-governing First Nation in Saskatchewan. Runners from Manitoba, Regina and Alberta will all take part, with racers wearing orange pinnies.
"The pride that we have for this event and being able to wear orange is something we never take for granted," said Jason Reindl, Head Coach of the Huskies Cross Country and Track & Field teams. "Since 2018, when we started wearing orange, the feedback that we continually received from the Saskatoon Residential School Survivors Circle has been so positive and meaningful to our student-athletes and our program."
Orange Shirt Day recognized across CW
With both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day taking place on Sept. 30, members from across CW will wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.
- University of Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas student-athletes will wear a custom orange shirt in warmups. The shirt was designed by Taylor McPherson, a former member of the Pandas wrestling team who now works for the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta. Golden Bears and Pandas student-athletes will also hand out tickets to several Indigenous groups on campus, including First Peoples House and the Indigenous Students Union.
- The UBC Thunderbirds will be recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at their home hockey game Saturday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Sports Centre. Student event staff will be wearing custom orange shirts and the newly unveiled Musqueam Artwork titled “Thunderbird Takes Flight,” designed and created by Musqueam Artist Deanna-Marie Point, will be featured as the new centre ice logo.
- Student-athletes from the University of Victoria will be wearing a custom orange shirt designed by former Vikes student-athlete Judy Cristante. A territory acknowledgement and history of the land will be performed at Saturday’s field hockey game and Sunday’s women’s rugby match, delivered in collaboration with the First Peoples House on campus.
- Members of the University of Brandon Bobcats women’s basketball team will be wearing orange shirts and taking part in a walk to the Brandon Residential School site.
- The Thompson Rivers WolfPack men’s soccer team will be recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at their home soccer game Sept. 30 in collaboration with both the TRU Student’s Union and the TRU Office of Indigenous Education. The WolfPack will wear Every Child Matters shirts during warmup, among other initiatives throughout the game.
- The Mount Royal Cougars will be recognizing Orange Shirt Day at their home soccer game on Sept. 30, in collaboration with the Iniskim Centre on campus.
- The University of Manitoba Bisons football team will be unveiling a video detailing the reconciliation journey of the team over the last year, which has included attending sweats and attending talks with Elders.