The Wing Smudge Indigenous Society in Wainwright, Alberta, is getting ready to host its 5th Annual Truth and Reconciliation Day Event on September 26, 2026, at 2:00 pm. The gathering continues the community’s yearly observance of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honoring residential school survivors, their families, and the children who never returned home.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was established in response to Call to Action 80 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which called for a statutory holiday to recognize survivors, their families, and communities. While the official day falls on September 30, Wainwright’s event on September 26 lets residents come together ahead of the federal and provincial observance, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day.
For many in Wainwright, the event carries deep local meaning. The town’s Indigenous population has grown by 32.8 percent over the last five years, with 405 residents identifying as Indigenous in the 2021 census. That growth makes reconciliation efforts particularly important for the community.
The story behind Orange Shirt Day began with Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor from Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, whose new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day of school in 1973. Her experience became a national symbol of the loss of identity and culture suffered by Indigenous children.
The Town of Wainwright encourages all residents to attend the event on September 26. The gathering offers a space for the community to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and to move forward together in the spirit of reconciliation.
