As Canada prepares to celebrate the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, most provinces have not followed the federal government's step to make it a statutory holiday for their workers. New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut declared September 30 a statutory holiday. While other provinces and territories choose to celebrate the day in different ways, some continue consultations with Indigenous groups and businesses on whether it should be made legal or not. Some cities, schools, and companies also choose different ways to recognize the day.

New Brunswick was the last to announce that September 30 would be a territorial holiday. "While this is a day to commemorate the tragic history of residential schools and honor those who never returned home, as well as the survivors and their families, I encourage everyone to reflect and remember that reconciliation is not just one day of the year," New Brunswick Minister of Indigenous Affairs Arlene Dunn said in a statement last week. This day is scheduled to be treated like any other territorial holiday, with all essential services continuing to be provided, including healthcare. The province said the holiday would be optional for private sector companies.

Also, this day, originally known as Orange Shirt Day, was established. The federal government made this day a statutory holiday for its workers and federally regulated workplaces last year. For many residential school survivors, including Eugene Arcand, the day will always be known as Orange Shirt Day, and grassroots efforts to acknowledge the pain and trauma experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools should continue to be recognized.