September 30th is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, a day that honors First Nations, Inuit and Métis lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. The Day responds to one of 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process, following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools.
The orange shirt has become a symbol of remembrance. Remembrance of all Indigenous children who were removed from their families to attend residential schools between the late 1800s to 1996. It recognizes the story of a former residential school student who had her orange shirt taken away on her first day at residential school. We invite you to reflect on the tragic events of the past by wearing orange on September 30th and engaging in real world conversations.
To support reconciliation and create awareness of the significance of Indigenous Peoples, NORR has collaborated directly with Indigenous architects and Indigenous-owned architecture firms as subconsultants on more than 16 projects across Canada. From a community perspective, we build meaningful relationships through local and/or national Indigenous representation on specific projects to provide input during the design process to achieve a holistic approach to supporting Indigenous culture. We are committed to the Federal Government’s Indigenous Participation Plan that aligns Indigenous principles in architecture and engineering services inherently supporting the Canadian government’s goal to meet UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) resolution 92.
On a broader basis, we work to uplift legacies and livelihoods by sharing information and educating people about Indigenous culture and design in multiple ways including:
- Our NORR Ed Lecture Series featuring Métis Architect Dr. David Fortin on the topic of The Politics of Design in the Age of Reconciliation
- Thought leadership about Designing Meaningful Engagement with Indigenous Groups
- Article about two-spirit Ojibwe artist Patrick Hunter and how Indigenous Art Fosters Cultural Visibility in Commercial Real Estate
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