An Orange Shirt walk on The Ridge. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Orange Shirt

Indigenous courthouse workers sent home after wearing orange shirts on NDTR

Oct 3, 2024 | 2:10 PM

After two Indigenous women working in the Meadow Lake Saskatchewan Justice Unit were sent home on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for wearing orange shirts, Meadow Lake Tribal Council is calling on the government to make the day a provincial holiday and an they want an investigation.

The two women – one of whom was a survivor – had worn the shirts as a way to honour the day and remember children who never came home along with the survivors. They had worn them in the courthouse, which have rules about logos.

“Orange Shirt Day is about recognizing and honouring the experiences of survivors,” said MLTC Vice-Chief Richard Derocher in a press release.

“Sending them home was like silencing their voices. It’s a reminder of how much work still needs to be done for real change to happen. Reconciliation has to be truthful, respectful and honourable.”

At a campaign event in Prince Albert, Sask Party Leader Scott Moe said earlier today that he is open to making some changes to allow some expression for staff in court. In the past, the government passed a private members bill in the past that allows poppies to be worn in the courthouse and Moe said he would be open to extending that.

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“I would say that there is a discussion that should be had around that. You know that piece of legislation and what happened the other day with the orange shirts being removed from the courthouse,” he said.

“I would be happy to entertain that discussion not only with MLTC, but other Indigenous leaders, PHTC and others across the province. On, you know, maybe looking at the model that the government took with the legislative action on not being allowed to wear poppies in a courthouse or place of work.”

According to Nicole Rancourt, a Prince Albert NDP candidate, her party has promised to make the day a holiday province-wide.

“We believe it’s important that we have respect for reconciliation and that would be one of our first moves,” she said in a scrum Thursday morning.

According to the MLTC Tribal Chief Jeremy Norman, banning the shirts is “a denial” of the history and “egregious disregard” for the country’s process of healing.

“This action undermines the importance of acknowledging survivors and honouring their courage and resilience,” he said via release.

“For a justice unit to respond in such a manner reflects poorly on its commitment to equity, inclusivity, and reconciliation. It also raises questions about the understanding of, and sensitivity toward, Indigenous issues within the institution itself.”

~ with files from Susan McNeil

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com