It will be hard to miss seeing orange around 14 Wing Greenwood through September, as Personnel Support Program and Military Family Services civilian staff wear coloured T-shirts to work, a partnership with the14 Wing Defence Indigenous Advisory Group (DIAG) as the September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaches.
“Throughout the month of September, staff at PSP and MFS will be proudly wearing orange shirts,” says Philippa Arbiter, PSP deputy manager.
“This initiative is a visible and meaningful gesture to honour the survivors of residential schools, their families and the children who never returned home.”
By wearing orange through their shift schedules at several facilities on base where military personnel, civilian peers and community members come and go; PSP and MFS staff are not only showing solidarity with Indigenous communities, but also reinforcing the importance of visibility for underrepresented people. Visibility fosters awareness, understanding, and, ultimately, change.
“This is more than just a shirt – it’s a statement,” Arbiter says. “It’s about acknowledging the past, educating ourselves and committing to a more inclusive future.”
PSP and MFS staff are encouraged to engage in learning opportunities, conversations and community events that deepen their understanding of Indigenous history and the ongoing impacts of colonialism. Many will attend – and bring their families – to a DIAG-hosted, public September 30 flag-raising and shared walk on the wing, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Orange Shirt Day originated from the story of Phyllis Webstad, whose brand-new orange shirt was taken away on her first day at a residential school. It has since become a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
The shirts PSP and MFS staff will wear through September were designed by artist Brooklyn Rudolph-Nicholas, from the Pimicikamak Cree Nation; purchased through Walmart, with 100 per cent of its profit shared between the Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
