William Crooks
A crowd of more than 500 people in orange shirts sets out from Bishop’s University on Sept. 30 for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Walk, heading through Lennoxville before concluding at Coulter Field

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Well over 500 people in orange gathered at Bishop’s University on Sept. 30 for a National Truth and Reconciliation Walk, marking Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The walk, which opened at Kwigw8mna and wound through parts of Lennoxville before concluding at Coulter Field, offered a moment of collective reflection, solidarity, and commitment to honouring survivors of the residential school system.

Participants included students, faculty, staff, local schoolchildren, and community members from across the Sherbrooke region. The event was led by Indigenous staff, students, and invited community members who spoke, prayed, and sang throughout the event.

Walking, remembering, connecting

At the start of the walk, a speaker welcomed the crowd to what she called “a whole sea of orange shirts,” noting that students from area institutions had come together in support. “It’s really beautiful to see the next generations here with us as well,” she added.

Another speaker highlighted the importance of resilience alongside remembrance: “We’re here to celebrate the resilience of Indigenous people, that we’re still here … speaking our languages today.”

Ceremony, music, and prayer were woven into the event. A welcome song opened proceedings, a prayer asked for peace “for the children who suffered,” and a reflection urged participants to honour memory by walking in solidarity. “We are walking for the children who have been torn from their families, for the voices that have been reduced to silence,” one voice said. “But we are also walking for hope, for healing, for reconciliation, for a future where every Indigenous child can grow up proud of their identity.”

A further message offered a sobering reminder of history: “This enterprise of killing the Indian in the heart of the child raged for over 150 years on the lands of Quebec and Canada … until 1996,” the crowd was told. “It is our responsibility to consider current realities as direct consequences of colonization and commit to a sincere act of reconciliation.”

Songs, stories, and solidarity

Voices throughout the afternoon connected past injustice to present commitment. “Let’s walk together hand in hand, so that their memory is never forgotten,” one speaker told the gathering. “We are walking for truth, we are walking for justice, we are walking for love.”

At Coulter Field, participants formed circles around drummers and singers as the event closed in ceremony, underlining that remembrance, grief, and hope can walk side by side.

Townshippers’ Association observance

Separately, the Townshippers’ Association marked Sept. 30 with its own observance. In a Sept. 29 press release, the association’s board encouraged community members to wear orange and reflect on the history and legacy of residential schools. “This day offers us an opportunity to consider our shared history, to acknowledge the injustices of the past, and to commit to building a better future together,” the statement read.

The association said it stood in solidarity with Indigenous communities of the Eastern Townships and across Canada, emphasizing that reconciliation requires both reflection and action.

Upcoming Bishop’s events

The walk was part of a larger program of activities at Bishop’s for Truth and Reconciliation Week. On Oct. 1, the university will host a screening of Sugarcane, a documentary directed by Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, followed by a discussion session in Bandeen Hall. The film investigates the history and ongoing effects of residential schools in Canada.

On Oct. 3, Kwigw8mna will hold an open house featuring a documentary on its creation and the voices of those who built it. The screening will take place at Centennial Theatre at 2 p.m.

By midafternoon, as orange shirts glowed in the sunshine and participants walked together in solidarity, the mood was at once somber and hopeful. Organizers and speakers positioned the walk not as a one-day gesture, but as a call to living reconciliation in daily life. “Let’s walk together… so that their memory is never forgotten,” participants were urged.