A message from PEO’s CEO/Registrar:
As an employer and organization charged with regulating the practice of professional engineering, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is committed to enable and promote a culture of inclusion that reflects the diversity of Ontario.
Today, September 30, is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This federal statutory holiday was established in response to Action 80 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, “to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
This federal holiday coincides with Orange Shirt Day. This originated in 2013 from the story of Phyllis Webstad, who, at the age of six, had her new orange shirt taken away from her on her first day attending St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School. Orange Shirt Day has been a global day to honour the children who were sent to residential schools and raise awareness about the tragic history and legacy of the residential school system.
PEO has made a donation to the Orange Shirt Society—a non-profit organization that supports residential school reconciliation and creates awareness of the inter-generational impacts of residential schools and the concept of "Every Child Matters".
In the spirit of healing, truth-telling and reconciliation, we encourage our community to take time to learn, reflect, and discuss our collective responsibility to advance truth and reconciliation.
Sincerely,
Johnny Zuccon, P.Eng., FEC
CEO/Registrar,
Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)
Additional resources:
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Reports
- Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- The Origin of Orange Shirt Day in Canada (Video)
- The Origin of Orange Shirt Day in Canada (Document)
- Begin your learning journey
- Books by Indigenous writers to read to understand residential schools (CBC Article)
- Integrating Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in Engineering: Interview with Deanna Burgart (WWEST, Podcast)