The story Montreal Marches for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation shows a large-scale demonstration in Montreal, where thousands gathered to recognize the ongoing impacts of Canada’s residential school system. The march, which was held on September 30, and is also known as Orange Shirt Day, was part of a national movement to honour residential school survivors and commemorate the children who did not return home.
Despite the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation having been established as a statutory holiday in recent years, the high turnout highlights the continued need for institutional and systemic change, not only in Montreal, but nationally. The story is impactful in the way it demonstrates that while official recognition is a step forward, significant work remains in addressing the lasting effects of colonial policies. The large crowds serve as a reminder (to viewers and people who participated or simply heard about the demonstration) that public pressure on governments and institutions remains crucial in advancing reconciliation efforts.
This coverage is also significant in how it showcases the increasing public engagement with these issues. By capturing the march, the video contributes to public discourse and ensures that the event’s message reaches a wider audience. Events like this encourage reflection, education, and dialogue about reconciliation and Canada's past (and present) while also keeping attention on the need for concrete policy action. As Canada continues to reckon with its history, media documentation of these gatherings plays a role in fostering ongoing discussions about truth and reconciliation, while also highlighting the voices of the people at the center of the issue.
Due to our coverage on such issues, Local 514/CUTV has also been invited to cover more event concerning the Indigenous communities of Canada, as well as other communities invisibilized in mainstream media. The response to this coverage has been important, with viewers engaging with the story. We have received positive comments, as well as negative comments concerning the topic, which demonstrates how it creates dialogue, while also pushing people to re-evaluate their prior belief that may limit certain communities' human rights. We have received feedback from people expressing their support for the march and their concerns about the pace of reconciliation efforts in Canada.
Some of our footage has even been shared through the youtube link of the video by organizations affiliated with the march.
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About LJI
LJI Impact is the section of commediaportal.ca where the journalists and their organizations participating in CACTUS' Local Journalism Initiative can share their greatest successes.
Through the written stories, photos and videos you see in the LJI Impact section, you'll be able to read first hand accounts about how the presence of a community journalist is making a difference in communities across Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative and the Community Media Portal.
The Community Media Portal is a gateway to the audio-visual media created by community media centres across Canada. These include traditional community TV and radio stations, as well as online and new media production centres.
Community media are not-for-profit production hubs owned and operated by the communities they serve, established both to provide local content and reflection for their communities, as well as media training and access for ordinary citizens to the latest tools of media production, whether traditional TV and radio, social and online media, virtual reality, augmented reality or video games.
The Community Media Portal has been funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (the LJI) of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) in association with the Fédération des télévisions communautaires autonomes du Québec (the Fédération). Under the LJI, over 100 journalists have been placed in underserved communities and asked to produce civic content that underpins Canadian democratic life.
