Full Breakdown
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Yellowknife Marks Sixth Annual Gathering
By Drooid · · How we work
Event Overview
Hundreds gathered at Yellowknife’s Tree of Peace Friendship Centre on Wednesday for the sixth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Attendees lit orange-frosted cupcakes with birthday candles, sang “Happy Birthday” for lost childhoods, and participated in speeches, prayer and shared listening space. The gathering was organized by the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories (NWT) and included the YWCA, the Dene Nation, the North Slave Metis Alliance and the NT/NU Council of Friendship Centres.
Background & Context
Canada’s residential-school system removed roughly 150,000 Indigenous children from their families, placing them in government- and church-run institutions; the final school closed in 1996. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday in 2021, intended to promote public remembrance and healing. A 24-hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) now offers emotional support to survivors and families.
Key Participants
Official Statements & Responses
Sangris expressed gratitude for the broad turnout, emphasizing that community presence signals progress toward reconciliation. Powder highlighted the event’s role in supporting children who never returned home and noted that reconciliation grows when diverse groups gather. Wendehorst warned that denial of residential-school atrocities persists, urging non-Indigenous settlers to listen and accept the documented truth.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There's a lot of people here and I'm thankful for that,” — Violet Sangris, executive director, Native Women’s Association of the NWT.
- “Today, we're here to support the children that never made it home from residential school,” — Darlene Powder, YWCA elder and Indigenous mental-wellness coordinator.
- “Having an open heart and open mind and listening and accepting the truth that it did happen and listening to voices,” — Danielle Wendehorst, attendee.