Join us for:
The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day at Beechwood Cemetery
Friday, September 30 2022
9:00 AM To 7:00 PM
Please sign up today!
Join us on September 30 2022, at the Beechwood National Memorial Center’s Sacred Space screening of the Spirit Bear and Children Make History short film. This stop-motion animation film tells the story of Spirit Bear hopping a train to Ottawa and banding together with children and animals to end injustice against First Nations children at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
Following the screening, we will be leading visitors onto the grounds for a 45-minute Reconciliation Tour, where we can learn from key historical figures who were involved in the Indian Residential Schools whilst learning about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.
Participants will also have an opportunity to make the Calls to Action a reality with action tables.
We will be inviting visitors to take the Reconciling History Walking tour of downtown Ottawa, each point of interest along the route is an opportunity to learn about the role of non-Indigenous peoples and the federal government in residential schools, and the lessons we can glean from history to address contemporary injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples.
Note: Please meet your guide at 61 Sparks St.
Transportation Options for Orange Shirt Day:
We are pleased to announce the following free transportation options for our friends in the Ottawa-Gatineau area looking to participate in our Orange Shirt Day events, hosted in partnership with Assembly of Seven Generations and Beechwood Cemetery:
Private shuttle
A huge thank you to the Historical Society of Ottawa for their donation, which has made this free shuttle possible.
Starting at 10am, hourly shuttles will depart from Beechwood Cemetery for downtown and back. The shuttle service will run until 5:00pm, according to the schedule below:
10:00: depart Beechwood Cemetery for Downtown Ottawa
10:30: pick-up/drop-off of passengers at 44 Sparks Street
11:00: return to Beechwood for pick-up and drop-off
*Please note that traffic or other delays may occur; times listed above may not be exact*
OC Transpo
OC Transpo has offered to provide free transit from 7:00AM to 7:00PM for our participants to allow for easy travel between Downtown Ottawa and Beechwood Cemetery.
Please note the following logistical details:
- Routes 7 St. Laurent and 7 Carleton will be available for free to our participants, at the following bus stops:
- Board / exit at Beechwood & Juliana (stop #7106)
- Board / exit at Beechwood & Juliana (stop #8796)
- Board / exit at Queen & Metcalfe (stop #1228)
- Board / exit at Queen and Metcalfe (stop #1552
- OC Transpo drivers will be alerted in advance; passengers do not need to present any cards or identifying materials to drivers.
- Passengers can tell drivers they are participating in the Orange Shirt Day events hosted by the Caring Society, A7G and Beechwood, and they will be allowed to board for free.
For the full route 7 schedule, map, and stop times, please visit: https://www.octranspo.com/en/plan-your-trip/schedules-maps/?sched-lang=en&date=20220915&rte=7
Please contact info@fncaringsociety.com with any questions about these two options.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation has partnered with the Project of Heart, the Assembly of 7 Generations, and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society) to host a public Day of Reconciliation education and action to learn from residential schools and other forms of colonialism so we can all implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society works to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations youth and their families through education initiatives, public policy campaigns and providing quality resources to support communities.
Using a reconciliation framework that addresses contemporary hardships for Indigenous families in ways that uplift all Canadians, the Caring Society champions culturally based equity for First Nations children and their families so that they can grow up safely at home, be healthy, achieve their dreams, celebrate their languages and culture and be proud of who they are.
The Caring Society proudly works with our partners in Canada and around the world to promote the rights of Indigenous children.
- The Assembly of 7 Generations is an Indigenous owned and youth-led, non-profit organization focused on cultural support and empowerment programs and policies for Indigenous youth while being led by traditional knowledge and Elder guidance.
- A7G believes that the assembly and unity of Indigenous youth from across Turtle Island will not only contribute to our own success and healing of today but also that of our next seven generations.
