The Manitoba government has created a new grant program, the Orange Shirt Day Fund, to support events and activities that encourage Manitobans to reflect on the impacts of the residential school system, Premier Wab Kinew, minister responsible for Indigenous Reconciliation, announced in a media release on Wednesday (July 3).
“I want every child and every family in Manitoba to have the opportunity to reflect on the legacy of residentials schools, the children who didn’t come home and the profound impacts of that trauma on families that still exists today,” said Kinew. “Our government is proud that Manitobans will be able to observe it as a provincial holiday for the first time this year and we’re supporting projects that will help bring more Manitobans together to mark Orange Shirt Day.”
Orange Shirt Day, also known as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a day to recognize and reflect on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, honour the survivors and remember the children who never returned home. In 2021, through the passing of Bill C-5, Sept. 30 became a federal statutory holiday. In December 2023, Manitoba established Sept. 30 as a provincial statutory holiday.
To mark the historic event, the province has allocated up to $800,000 in funding to establish the Orange Shirt Day Fund. The fund will provide one-time grant funding in 2024, for projects and initiatives that advance truth and reconciliation by raising awareness of Orange Shirt Day and creating opportunities for Manitobans to come together in observation, reflection and commemoration.
Eligible applicants include grassroots or non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and leadership organizations, educational institutions, daycares and municipal governments throughout Manitoba.
The premier noted the investment aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and specifically responds to Call to Action No. 80 to establish a statutory holiday in honour of survivors, their families and communities to ensure the public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component in the truth and reconciliation process.
This initiative also aligns with commitments made in the 2024 speech from the throne to advance truth and reconciliation in Manitoba.
Applications for fund are now open and are due Aug. 1.
For more information on the grant program, including eligibility and how to apply, visit www.gov.mb.ca/inr/major-initiatives/orange-shirt-day-fund.html.
