Williams Lake mayor and council voted to raise the Every Child Matters flag over city hall in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30.
Council approved the request, made by the Orange Shirt Society, at the regular city council meeting at city hall on Sept. 24, as they all wore orange shirts for the meeting.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor emphasized the importance for the community of honouring the day, acknowledging the Orange Shirt Day's local origins thanks to Phyllis Webstad, who shared her story of the orange shirt taken from her on her first day at St. Joseph's Residential School when she was a child.
In the request to council, the Orange Shirt Society's president Shannon Henderson wrote:
"Orange Shirt Day is a day for all Canadians to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for future generations. The flag represents our collective commitment to ensuring that every child matters, and it calls for continued efforts toward justice and equity for Indigenous peoples. Raising the flag on this day would be a significant step in acknowledging the past and working towards a future where Indigenous peoples' rights, cultures, and histories are respected and celebrated."
"This is excellent, it started in our backyard," said Rathor as he approved the request, asking everyone to be respectful of those recognizing Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange.
