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September 30, 2021

“We all inherited this. Nobody today created residential schools, nobody today created the Indian Act, nobody today created the ‘60s Scoop, but we all inherited it and we just have to acknowledge that people are healing (and) people are hurting. Let’s do something about it.”

• Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cowessess First Nation

RCMP Heritage Centre Statement on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

REGINA–On the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day), September 30, 2021, the RCMP Heritage Centre team is dedicating time to listen to the truths of residential school survivors. The Centre is closed until 1:00 PM today.

The team will spend time at The Place of Reflection today – a stone medicine wheel located on the lawn to the east of the main drive of the Centre — reflecting on shared history, Treaty relationships, the responsibilities that derive from those relationships, and remembering the thousands of Indigenous children who did not come home over the 100-plus years that residential schools operated in Canada.

The Place of Reflection is the result of a collaborative effort between the community, RCMP Academy, Depot Division and RCMP F Division and provides a quiet place for solace and remembrance.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s relationship with Indigenous people dates to the founding of the Force in 1873. Parts of this shared history are painful and difficult to confront. They must be acknowledged and shared in a respectful way to achieve the objectives of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

We are committed and willing participants in the Truth and Reconciliation process and recognize that true reconciliation can only come once the truth is understood and acknowledged. We cannot move forward together unless we first pause, listen to the truth, and have meaningful conversations in our communities.

Over the next year, the RCMP Heritage Centre will work in collaboration with a number of Indigenous partners, serving members, veterans of the Force, and other stakeholders to develop a day of programming for the 2022 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The RCMP Heritage Centre is dedicated to sharing the story of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from a variety of perspectives in ways that allow healing and learning to happen.

We encourage members of our community to join us on this first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by listening and learning about the history of residential schools.

There are a wide variety of educational opportunities available nationally throughout the day through the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. For more information, please visit their website.

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Please be advised that the RCMP Heritage Centre will not open until 1PM today.

If you need further emotional support or someone to talk to, please reach out to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066 or the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (available 24 hours a day) at 1-866-925-4419.

About the RCMP Heritage Centre

The RCMP Heritage Centre is dedicated to sharing the story of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada’s national police force. Known informally as the “Mounties”, the Force is recognized the world over for its iconic dress uniform featuring the red serge tunic, Stetson hat, and high brown boots.

Guests of the RCMP Heritage Centre can experience both the historical and modern-day stories of the RCMP through a variety of traditional and variety of informative exhibits, a virtual and augmented reality experiences, and live events. The Centre is located on the doorstep of RCMP Academy, “Depot” Division, where Mounties have trained since 1885. The Centre is operated by a non-profit organization. While it is not owned by the RCMP, it is supported by the RCMP’s Historical Collections Unit.

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