The BC Lions will recognize survivors of Canada’s residential school system at an upcoming home game this month ahead of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.

The Lions are giving 350 tickets to residential school survivors and other Indigenous partners for their game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders next Friday, on Sept. 24.

“We’re gong to fill this house and we’re going to roar for all of those children that didn’t make it home from school,” B.C.’s Minister Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport, Melanie Mark, said. “We’re going to stand up with solidarity and show that Every Child Matters.”

The team will sport a slightly new logo on their jerseys created by Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit artist Corrine Hunt, who co-created the medals for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Both teams will also be wearing orange tape and the first 10,000 fans in attendance will be given orange shirts as well.

Lions Vice President, George Chayka, says the team is also making a $20,000 donation to the Orange Shirt Society, which was founded by Phyllis Webstad in Williams Lake in 2013.

“We’ve been through a lot and it’s good to have something positive and fun we can’t always be crying,” Webstad said. “From the very beginning, Orange Shirt Day was created to honour residential school survivors and their families and to remember those that didn’t make it; this event will do just that.”

Rick LeLacheur, the President of the Lions said both Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the Orange Shirt Society have shown incredible leadership in raising awareness  about the impacts of the residential school system.

“The BC Lions are honoured to bring this initiative to our fans in support of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and thank our partners for their support in making this a reality,” he said, in a statement.

Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir was present at Thursday’s announcement. She said since the discovery of what’s believed to be unmarked graves in Kamloops in May, the world has been “bearing witness” to survivors of residential schools whose stories finally being heard.

“We are all here today in honour of… the missing children who may have experienced unthinkable circumstances leading to their deaths and whose remains were placed in unmarked graves,” she said. “We are here today to support each other in mapping that path forward.”

“This truly is a unique way that we stand here together to not only acknowledge but stand in solidarity to bring awareness to Orange Shirt Day, residential school survivors and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”

Since the discovery in May, several other First Nations in Canada have since reported finding suspected remains or unmarked graves around former residential schools in their territories.

“For the first time, so many of our First Nations are sharing statements like, ‘They’re actually listening to me,’ ‘They actually want to know,’ ‘They sat and they listened to me,’ ‘They want to hear my story,’ ‘People are looking at me differently,’” Casimir added.

Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Premier John Horgan said the collaboration between the Lions, the Ending Violence Association of BC, and Indigenous leaders helps mark the day of truth and reconciliation so Canadians will remember that every child matters.

“On the 30th of September we will always remember what happened in Canada,” he said. “We will not turn our backs on our history. We will embrace it, we will learn from it and will be better people, and a better country and better citizens.”

– With files from Jon Keen and The Canadian Press

“We’re gong to fill this house and we’re going to roar for all of those children that didn’t make it home from school. We’re going to stand up with solidarity and show that Every Child Matters” – Hli Haykwhl Ẃii Xsgaak, Minister Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport. @melaniejmark pic.twitter.com/2Eeuw8Njj7

— BC LIONS (@BCLions) September 16, 2021