Truth and Reconciliation Week

Red Deer Polytechnic is committed to reconciliation and creating an inclusive, culturally diverse campus for everyone. And, in the spirit of truth, reconciliation, and our commitment toward indigenization, we can learn from and commemorate with Indigenous peoples.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, held Friday, September 30, seeks to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors and their families and communities and to ensure public commemoration of their history and ongoing impacts of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. Also known as Orange Shirt Day, this day falls on the last day of a week-long initiative to raise awareness and encourage engagement. Although the Polytechnic is closed on September 30, the reflection opportunities are endless, and ceremonies are held throughout our community via our community partners. Consider wearing an orange shirt, which symbolizes the stripping of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by the many generations of Indigenous children and their families. All Canadians are encouraged to wear orange shirts on September 30, or throughout the week, in honour of the thousands of residential school Survivors.

Initiatives such as Truth and Reconciliation Week held by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation precedes National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with educational initiatives that share knowledge and memorialize children lost to residential schools and honour Survivors and their families through First Nations, Métis and Inuit knowledge keepers. Inspired by their lead, RDP will hold awareness and engagement initiatives throughout the week, enabling the Polytechnic community and Indigenous partners to cultivate reciprocal relationships, hold space for Indigenous students, and create learning and engagement opportunities for faculty, staff, students and community members.

We invite you to join us for one or all of the events taking place from Monday, September 26 to Friday, September 30.

Monday, September 26 to Friday, September 30

September 26
  • Feather & Timeline Display | All day | Main Campus Hallway 
    • Create a Feather
    • Further information below!
  • "What Does Reconciliation Mean to You?" Conversation Board and Resource Display | All Day | Red Deer Polytechnic Library
  • Screening: First Contact S01E01 The Journey Begins | 12pm to 1pm | RBC OnCampus
  • In honour of the week, the exterior lights of Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will display orange lights on this day from dusk to dawn to bring awareness to the tragic and painful history of residential schools
September 27
  • Feather & Timeline Display | All day | Main Campus Hallway
    • Create a Feather
    • Further information below!
  • "What Does Reconciliation Mean to You?" Conversation Board and Resource Display | All Day | Red Deer Polytechnic Library
  • Streaming: CBC Podcasts Kuper Island E1 & E2 | 12pm to 1pm | RBC OnCampus
  • Student Talking Circle facilitated by Indigenous Counsellor | 4pm to 6pm | Studio B
  • In honour of the week, the exterior lights of Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will display yellow, white, blue, red and black lights on this day from dusk to dawn, to demonstrate respect for the enduring relationships with Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Métis Nations

For Faculty and Staff

  • Tea & Chat with Indigenous Learning Designer | 12pm to 2pm | CTL
    • Check out our other Faculty and Staff learning opportunities below!
September 28
  • Feather & Timeline Display | All day | Main Campus Hallway
    • Create a Feather
    • Further information below!
  • "What Does Reconciliation Mean to You?" Conversation Board and Resource Display | All Day | Red Deer Polytechnic Library
  • Screening: First Contact S01E02 A Group Divided | 12pm to 1pm | RBC OnCampus
  • In honour of the week, the exterior lights of Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will display orange lights on this day from dusk to dawn to bring awareness to the tragic and painful history of residential schools

For Faculty and Staff

  • Tea & Chat with Indigenous Learning Designer | 10am to 12pm | CTL
    • Check out our other Faculty and Staff learning opportunities below!
September 29
  • Indigenous Flag Raising Ceremony | 12pm | Red Deer Polytechnic's Main Campus, flag pole near front entrance
  • Feather & Timeline Display | All day | Main Campus Hallway
  • "What Does Reconciliation Mean to You?" Conversation Board and Resource Display | All Day | Red Deer Polytechnic Library
  • Streaming: CBC Podcasts Kuper Island E3& E4 | 11am to 1pm | RBC OnCampus
  • In honour of the week, the exterior lights of Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will display yellow, white, blue, red and black lights on this day from dusk to dawn, to demonstrate respect for the enduring relationships with Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Métis Nations
September 30

  • The Polytechnic is closed in observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Consider attending local ceremonies and gatherings in your community. 

    "Little Souls Journey Home; A Truth and Reconciliation Event" | 1pm to 3pm | City Hall Park, Red Deer

  • In honour of the week, the exterior lights of Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre will display orange lights on this day from dusk to dawn to bring awareness to the tragic and painful history of residential schools
Feather Display
Fall 2021 Honouring the Children Feather Event

Create a feather and contribute to the Feather and Timeline Display during Truth and Reconciliation Week.

Red Deer Polytechnic Indigenous Student Services invites students, staff, faculty, and community members to contribute to an upcoming event as part of Truth and Reconciliation Week that will be bringing awareness to the residential school experience and the persisting legacy for survivors and communities of this system, and to memorialize and honour the children who did not make it home. We are encouraging that this be an opportunity to share, educate and gather creative and thoughtful contributions from family, friends and community members where appropriate.

This Feather Display at Red Deer Polytechnic began in fall 2021, we received over 700 submission during this first year and had an incredibly impactful installation. The use of feathers was inspired by an art piece that was created by Kayla Bridget Williams-Maclean, a mixed Inuk artist living in Labrador. The piece was created shortly after the first discovery of 215 unmarked graves of Indigenous children at Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021, it depicts the residential school with the number "215" over the main door way, and birds erupting from the building and flying upwards towards the sky. Kayla's description of this art piece was "They are set free...", as her piece symbolizes the spirits of these children being set free.

A feather template can be used for your contribution and is available for pick up/drop off in the Gathering Place and/or the main security desk 24/7 on main campus at RDP, alternatively, the attached document can be printed. Feathers should ideally be submitted by Sunday, September 25, 2022, as the display is being set-up on Monday, September 26, 2022 . Feathers will be part of a display alongside a visual timeline that depicts significant dates in Canadian Residential School history, this display will be available for viewing on main campus from September 26 to 29, 2022. Community and/or the public are welcome on campus to view.

Feathers will also be completed throughout Truth and Reconciliation Week at various locations on campus and will be continuously added to the main hallway display.

In creating a feather, we ask that it is done in the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation and with positive intention towards a transformative and meaningful relationship with Indigenous peoples’, but also in honour of the Indigenous children who did not survive their residential school experience. 

Please create in a way that speaks to yourself and your intention, some ideas include: Use the feather template to draw, colour, leave a message, create a collage, paint and so forth. Feel free to use all the space that is available on the page. Please put your first name and/or initials and program/organization/school/grade in one of the corners, this will assist in any feathers that are being returned and will also show the diversity in community members that are participating in the display! If feathers do not need to be returned, then just identifying the program/organization/school/grade is suggested. Groups are asked to submit in a labelled folder.

Example: Emma K., Grade 1 at […] Elementary School and/or E.K., Grade 1 at […] Elementary School

A submitted feather will be chosen by a committee and the creator of the feather will be gifted a quilt that has been generously created and donated by the Central Alberta Quilter’s Guild, this feather may also be featured, with consent, on a future Orange Shirt Design that would be available in the Campus Store during a subsequent academic year. A feather will be chosen based on creative elements that align with the concepts being considered below.  

Consider the following when creating your feather:

  • What is your message to the children whose lives were lost? Their families and communities? How might you portray this in words or art.
  • What needs to be done on the path to Truth and Reconciliation?
  • What does reconciliation mean to you?

Questions? Please contact Talitha Klym, Indigenous Student Success Coordinator at 403.357.3672

Faculty and Staff

Have tea and chat with RDP Indigenous Learning Designer Patricia Marshall:

Discuss Truth and Reconciliation in your classroom, lessons, curriculum, and teaching practice. Drop in and chat with Indigenous Learning Designer Patricia Marshall. Patricia will be available to answer any questions. These sessions are open to both faculty and staff.

When: Drop by the CTL (913C) on

Tuesday -  September 27 between 12-2pm

Wednesday- September 28 between 10-12pm

Read a book:

Can a book club be a catalyst for social change? We think so.

The Quiet Book Club remains committed to featuring Indigenous voices and authors through its book selections.

In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation the Quiet Book Club will feature book recommendations from RDP students, faculty, and staff. The selected Indigenous titles provide an opportunity for learning and reflection about the impacts of residential schools.

Watch for these titles on the Quiet Book Club Guide during the week of September 26-30.

The Quiet Book Club is a joint initiative between the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the Library. For more information please contact Kasey [dot] Fulton [at] rdpolytech [dot] ca (Kasey Fulton)rel=" noopener" target="_blank" title="Kasey Fulton" or Sona [dot] Macnaughton [at] rdpolytech [dot] ca (Sona Macnaughton)rel=" noopener" target="_blank" title="Sona Macnaughton".

Wear an orange shirt:

On September 30, wear orange to honour the children who survived the Indian Residential Schools, remember those that didn’t, and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada.

Take a class:

Register

Consider enrolling in the Indigenization: Foundations and Context course. This course examines the history and impact of Treaties, the Indian Act, Canada's residential schools, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Explore the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Report and how they influence post-secondary institutions.

This face-to-face course is open to all faculty and staff. Successful completion of this course may grant prior learning assessment & recognition (PLAR) for Module 4 of the Excellence in Teaching and Learning Career Development Certificate.

Course Offering Fall 2022:

Seminar 1: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 3:00-5:00 PM 

Seminar 2: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 from 3:00-5:00 PM

 Course Offering Winter 2023:

Seminar 1: Thursday, February 9, 2023 from 3:00-5:00 PM 

Seminar 2: Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 3:00-5:00 PM

If you have any questions, please contact the CTL at CTL [at] rdpolytech [dot] carel=" noopener" target="_blank" title="CTL [at] rdpolytech [dot] ca"

 

Thursday, September 29 

Indigenous Flag Raising Ceremony | 12pm | Red Deer Polytechnic's Main Campus, flag pole near front entrance

Friday, September 30  

The Polytechnic is closed in observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Consider attending local ceremonies and gatherings in your community. 

"Little Souls Journey Home; A Truth and Reconciliation Event" | 1pm to 3pm | City Hall Park, Red Deer

Inquiries

Contact RDP

View Our Campuses

Virtual Tour

Get to Know Us

View our Faculty & Staff Biographies