BC Lions dedicate game to truth and reconciliation in Canada

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The founder of Orange Shirt Day says seeing a stadium full of orange shirts at the upcoming BC Lions game will be a “dream come true,” especially ahead of Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“The idea that 10,000 will be wearing this, thousands will be roaring, they will be saying, ‘Give us peace, give us compassion, give us love,’ … that’s what I hope for this day,” said Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor and Executive Director of the Orange Shirt Society.

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Thousands of fans and even the players will be dressed for the occasion, with both teams wearing orange tape, to honour residential school survivors and their families.

IRSSS has partnered with @BCLions to offer complimentary tickets for survivors and families to the Sept 24th ORANGE SHIRT DAY GAME. Please read the posted requirements and email suzetteamaya@irsss.ca – First come first serve, with priority to residential school survivors. pic.twitter.com/PRCmmcvJFR

— IRSSS (@IRSSurvivor) September 15, 2021

The Lions are making a $20,000 donation to the Orange Shirt Society and designing a special shirt adorned with an Indigenous rendition of the B.C. Lions logo by Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit artist Corinne Hunt. They’re also giving 350 tickets to survivors and their families.

The discovery of 215 children’s remains in unmarked graves at the residential school in Kamloops prompted the BC Lions’ decision to shine a spotlight on Canada’s history of violence and colonialism towards Indigenous people.

“This truly is a unique way to not only acknowledge but bring awareness to Orange Shirt Day,” said Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Chief Rosanne Casimir.