Commentary, Opinion

Autumn rhythms

October 8, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brock Weir

Whether or not you welcome the end of summer, I think we can all agree that there is something special about the early days of autumn.

The symphony of colours offered by our deciduous trees at this time of year never fails to stop me in my tracks to take a moment to appreciate its majestic beauty. It’s an always-welcome reminder to take some time and take in the world around you when we’re all-too-often focused on either getting to our destinations or the devices in the palms of our hands.

The crispness of the air is, from my perspective, a welcome relief from the heat and humidity which is so often a part of our summer experience – if only it would stay at this level just a little bit longer before Mother Nature starts letting the snow fly.

An additional selling point of this crisp early-autumn air is the slightly sweet and invariably earthy scent that often comes with it. This is, of course, the fragrance of decay as the aforementioned symphony tumbles to the ground with varying degrees of grace. It is yet another welcome reminder that the natural cycles and rhythms of our planet continue apace, despite what we throw at it collectively as a people.

This past Wednesday, the sweetness of the air was punctuated by the always evocative smell of wood smoke and sage as so many of us came together in different ways to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Morning flag-raisings at public buildings and sunset gatherings and ceremonies in the evening have become September 30’s own rhythm since Orange Shirt Day was first established in 2013, following the advocacy of Phyllis Webstad, whose orange shirt was taken from her on her very first day in a Residential School, becoming a potent symbol of the atrocities that took place within the system. It has become an even greater part of our civic life since Orange Shirt Day became a statutory holiday for Federal workers in 2021 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Each year, the observance begins with messages from leaders at all levels of government, with those from our Federal and Provincial governments often proving particularly telling.

“Today, we observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to honour the Survivors of the residential school system and remember the children who never returned home,” said Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation in a joint statement. “While some might think of residential schools as a distant history, Canada’s last Indian Residential School only closed 30 years ago….

“Our government continues to support community-led healing and commemoration through programs like the Indian Residential School Community Engagement Fund. By listening to and learning from Survivors, we can build a path forward rooted in mutual respect, awareness, and action… On this year’s National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, let us take time to learn, reflect and work together to build a better future for everyone.”

While the Province promised continued efforts, the Federal government addressed the 94 Calls to Action that came out of Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission and underscored the role of each Call to Action as forming a roadmap for the future.

“For more than a century, over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were separated from their parents, families, and communities and sent to residential schools,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney in his statement. “The system was built on assimilation policies designed to sever children from their languages, cultures, identities, and ways of life. The federal government established and sustained this system, and Canada bears responsibility for the profound and enduring harm it caused.

“More than 6,600 Survivors and witnesses came forward before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to share painful realities Canada had too long ignored. Their courage ensured that Canada listened, remembered, and reflected. We owe Survivors more than remembrance. We owe them action. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action remain a roadmap for that work. In partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, our government is working to close longstanding gaps in health care and education, protect Indigenous languages and cultures, and advance safe drinking water and infrastructure in First Nations communities.

“We are advancing the Calls for Justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Today, Canadians will wear orange and participate in ceremonies to remember the children who never came home – and to honour the Survivors who told the truth so that all Canadians may take up the work of reconciliation.”

It will be interesting – and, again, telling – to see how this roadmap is followed because another rhythm of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been the common refrain that so few of the 94 Calls to Action have been addressed by governments and citizens alike.

Aurora’s gathering on September 30, for instance, was led by Anishinaabe Grandmother Kim Wheatley, a prominent advocate across the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Elder Pat Floody. In her remarks, Wheatley touched upon the Calls to Action and how leaders have, more often than not, picked some of the easier actions rather than the more substantive ones.

“In 11 years, this country has maybe done 13 of the 94 Calls to Action. That’s being generous, by the way. If you put that into a percentage point, 15 per cent of the 94 Calls to Action in 11 years have been addressed,” she said. “In school, if you get 15 per cent on a test, you fail. Guess what, Canada – you fail, and they took all the low-hanging fruit. They didn’t do the big, hard things like give us water. They did some of the easy stuff [like] declaring a date…. All Canadians should step forward and show us that they do care. All Canadians have a responsibility to ignite that flame of hope….

“I hope that what you heard here today gives you the courage, the momentum, and the belief to move forward, to step into the truth, whole and complete, to continue to learn and educate yourself. When you leave here today, I want you to leave better than when you came, but I want you to share with somebody who wasn’t here. Find somebody. Talk to somebody about this. Stretch the message. Let it ripple out with your passion, your belief, your courage, and your truth.”

While the rhythms of this time of year are always welcome, some – such as once again being reminded on the lack of progress in this area – can cause discomfort and that is welcome in its own way as discomfort can often serve as a catalyst for action.

One can only hope that when our communities once again convene on September 30, 2027, that we can point to examples of real, concrete action – and this kind of year-over-year progress becomes as ubiquitous and reliable at this time of year as the arrival of the crisp air and nature’s colourful cavalcade.

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