Honouring Indigenous children, families on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Many events are being held this week across Canada to honour Indigenous children and families as the nation marks its second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday.

Sept. 30 was set aside last year as a federal statutory holiday to commemorate children who died while being forced to attend church-run and government-funded residential schools, and those who survived, as well as the families and communities still affected by the lasting trauma.

Here's a look at how the day was observed.

In Saskatoon, hundreds gathered on Treaty 6 territory Friday as part of the Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation. Shirley Isbister, president of Central Urban Métis Federation Incorporated, said the sea of orange shows that people are listening to the calls for support. 

(Kendall Latimer/CBC)

Communities across the Waterloo region gathered Friday to mark Canada's second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In New Hamburg, a sunrise ceremony was held at Norm S. Hill Park, near the Nith River. The ceremony was led by local Indigenous elders and a sacred fire burned from dawn until dusk.

(Carmen Groleau/CBC)

Meanwhile in downtown Kitchener, hundreds of marchers made their way to Victoria Park. Honking, drumming and singing could be heard from the crowd, and people from nearby businesses and apartment buildings waved as the group passed.

(Kate Bueckert/CBC)

(Carmen Groleau/CBC)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a sunrise ceremony in Niagara Falls on Friday morning. Following the ceremony, he spoke with residential school survivors, and, during a later address to the crowd, he challenged Canadians to be more accepting of survivors' stories.

(Lindsay DeDario/Reuters)

At Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square, many — including the city's mayor — joined Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre for their annual Indigenous Legacy Gathering, which celebrates Indigenous cultures, traditions and languages through workshops, presentations, stories, teachings, dance, film and music. 

In Ottawa, hundreds marched in protest of the city's Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and called for it no longer bear the name of the country's first prime minister.