CBC is marking the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a full day of programming and content showcasing First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives and experiences across CBC TV, CBC News Network, CBC.ca, CBC Kids, CBC Radio One and CBC Music including a commercial free, primetime broadcast special, NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION. Hosted by JUNO Award-winning and Polaris Music Prize Short Listed artist Elisapie and conceived and created by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the one-hour national special will broadcast on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One and CBC Listen on Thursday, September 30 at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. AT, 9:30 p.m. NT). Following the special, new original documentary from CBC Manitoba, WE KNOW THE TRUTH: STORIES TO INSPIRE RECONCILIATION, will premiere at 9 p.m. on CBC TV
and CBC Gem.
CBC’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation lineup includes:
Note: Radio-Canada programming information available here.
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Thursday, September 30 at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. AT, 9:30 NT) on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One and CBC Listen
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION – In recognition of the new federal statutory holiday, also known as Orange Shirt Day, this unique one-hour, commercial-free primetime special hosted by Elisapie honours the stories and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples affected by the tragedies of the residential school system in Canada, with musical tributes and ceremonies in Indigenous communities across the land. The broadcast special is conceived and created by The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba and produced by NCTR in collaboration with Insight Productions, in association with CBC/Radio-Canada and APTN.
Thursday, September 30 at 9 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem
WE KNOW THE TRUTH: STORIES TO INSPIRE RECONCILIATION – A CBC Manitoba documentary that recasts Canada’s history and future through the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples. Meet the people who are challenging the history of Canada and residential schools, and creating change on their own terms. Reflect with residential school survivors and be inspired by those who are working hard to keep their culture and languages alive.
Saturday, September 25 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, September 28 at 1 p.m. on CBC Radio One
UNRESERVED – Join Rosanna Deerchild on Unreserved for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with the Honorable Justice Murray Sinclair, former Senator and Lead Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In this intimate, hour-long interview they discuss reconciliation— how far we’ve come, how far we have left to go and who is responsible for taking the journey.
Thursday, September 30 at 10 a.m. on CBC Radio One
Q – Tom Power speaks with Alanis Obomsawin, one of the most accomplished documentary filmmakers in Canada, and one of the most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers in the world. She is the winner of the Glenn Gould Prize, the prestigious award given for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts. She was also honoured at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival with a career retrospective of her work called ‘Celebrating Alanis Obomsawin’. The video interview with Alanis Obomsawin will be available on cbc.ca/q.
Thursday, September 30 at 12 p.m. noon on CBC Radio One
ANSWERING THE CALL: Stories of resistance, reclamation and resilience on Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Host Rosanna Deerchild explores how Canada is doing on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and how First Nations across Canada are demolishing, redeveloping, and reclaiming former residential school sites. JUNO Award-winning musician William Prince will discuss the role artists play and share how his family is marking the day. Finally, retired senator Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, offers his thoughts on the future of reconciliation in Canada.
MASHKAWI-MANIDOO BIMAADIZIWIN SPIRIT TO SOAR – Available to stream in Anishinaabemowin on CBC Gem, and premiering in English on CBC TV and CBC Gem on The Passionate Eye, 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) Friday, September 24, with an encore broadcast on September 30 Directed by Tanya Talaga and Michelle Derosier, MASHKAWI-MANIDOO BIMAADIZIWIN SPIRIT TO SOAR examines the hard truths around the deaths of First Nations students in Thunder Bay, truths Canada continues to ignore: racism kills, especially when it presents as indifference. It’s a look at how families and communities struggle to carry on while pursuing justice for their loved ones and equity for their people, and it follows Tanya Talaga’s personal journey as she explores her own Indigenous identity.
Also now streaming on the CBC Listen app is a companion podcast to the documentary, SPIRIT TO SOAR: WHERE WE COME FROM, a four-part podcast about four disruptions to Indigenous life, and ways to move forward together. The story is told first in Anishinaabemowin by Elder Sam Achneepineskum and then in English by Jolene Banning
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CBC Gem
THE TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COLLECTION will be available starting Sept 24 on the free CBC Gem streaming service with more than 20 documentaries and films honouring the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, including THE SECRET PATH, Gord Downie’s animated film that tells the true story of Chanie Wenjack and INENDI, Sarain Fox’s journey to preserve her cultural legacy by collecting stories from her family’s Matriarch.
CBC Music
All day on September 30, CBC Music will feature Indigenous artists and composers from 6 a.m. to midnight. CBCMusic.ca will offer stories in the lead up to September 30 include a feature where Indigenous musicians have experienced moments of truth and reconciliation, an exploration of the art within protests and a collection of songs and lyrics about reconciliation.
CBC Books
Visit CBC.ca/thisplace for the CBC Books podcast, THIS PLACE. The original series, adapted from the award-winning graphic novel, explores 150 years of Indigenous resistance and resilience. Learn more with additional CBC Books content covering the 20 authors and illustrators who made the graphic novel, a cast roundup of the Indigenous actors who voiced the dramatizations and a list of some of the Indigenous heroes we meet in the series.
CBC Kids and CBC Kids News
CBC Kids News will feature an “Ask an Indigenous person anything” segment where Indigenous Peoples (First Nation, Inuit and Métis) under 30 meet and chat with kid contributor Isabel DeRoy-Olson to discuss reconciliation and take questions from kids across Canada. Additionally, CBC Kids News will feature two segments for a tween audience outlining what reconciliation is and why it is needed, and how to be a better ally.
CBC Kids is recognizing Sept. 30th with an hour-long special from the award-winning animated series MOLLY OF DENALI plus original content from Studio K all about Indigenous Heritage and Culture.
CBC Arts
For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, CBC Arts will be doing a special edition of the “Poetic License” video series featuring four poets including Kahsenniyo Williams from the Mohawk Nation Wolf Clan, who will be doing a piece called Decolonial Love. Also available that day, CBCArts.ca has a written feature that asks Indigeous curators, cultural programmers and artists to highlight a piece of art that speaks to the ideas behind Truth and Reconciliation, including contributions from writer Alicia Elliott and visual artist Adrian Stimson.
CBC Sports
CBC Sports will feature interviews and opinion pieces by and with Indigenous athletes including Hunter Lang, Michael Linklater and Kali Reis.