“We honour Survivors and the children who never came home by facing the truth and making sure the experiences of our people are not forgotten. Every Child Matters is a call to keep learning, keep speaking the truth, and keep working for better outcomes for our children and families.”
— Grand Chief Jerry Daniels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2026
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTE TERRITORY, MB – The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) is launching its sixth annual Every Child Matters campaign, continuing our work to educate Manitobans on the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and to honour Survivors, their families, and the children who never returned home.
Throughout September, SCO will provide giveaways; information about events; public education and awareness information on billboard, bus ads, social media, and our website, and opportunities to learn and act.
The campaign leads into Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.
“September 30 carries the weight of generations of hurt, but it also reflects the strength and resilience of our Nations,” said Grand Chief Jerry Daniels. “We have a responsibility to face the truth and make sure the experiences of our people are not forgotten. Every Child Matters is a call to keep learning, keep speaking the truth, and keep working for better outcomes for our children and families.”
Each year, this call to learn and remember brings thousands of people together in downtown Winnipeg, creating a sea of orange and a visible reminder that Every Child Matters.
SCO invites everyone to join us for the Sixth Annual Orange Shirt Day Healing Walk and Pow Wow on September 30, 2026, in Winnipeg on Treaty One Territory. This is a free and family-friendly event. Community members are encouraged to wear orange and take part in the day’s activities.
The day will begin with an opening ceremony at 9:30 am at the Oodena Circle at The Forks, followed by a healing walk to the Canada Life Centre. Grand entry for the pow wow will take place at 1 pm. Full details are available on our website.
The significance of September 30 is especially personal for Chief Don Smoke of Dakota Plains Wahpeton Oyate, whose mother, Elder Donna Pratt, is a residential school Survivor.
“Residential schools did not only affect the people who attended them. The impact carries through families and generations,” said Chief Smoke. “My mother’s experience has shown me the importance of protecting our language and honouring our Survivors. Language was one of the tools she used to survive and heal, and that is something we need to continue protecting for our children and grandchildren.”
These experiences are reflected in many different forms, including through the personal stories that our citizens choose to share.
SCO advisor Kevin Chief shares his own experience in With a Name Like Chief, a memoir by the proud member of Minegoziibe Anishinabe. The book explores themes of identity, reconciliation, and recovery from alcoholism. The memoir is hitting bookshelves today, September 1, 2026.
This month will also include the Reconciliation Run, organized by Chief Tréchelle Bunn of Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation, taking place on September 26, 2026.
The Reconciliation Run honours the children who never had the opportunity to return home from residential school to their families. More than a half marathon, the 21.1-kilometre run follows a route that children may have taken if they had been able to run home. The route begins at the site of the former Birtle Indian Residential School in Manitoba and ends in Birdtail Sioux Dakota Nation.
In September and beyond, SCO encourages schools, organizations, and individuals to learn about the history of residential schools and the experiences of Survivors, participate in educational activities and local events, and share support on social media using #EveryChildMatters. Follow SCO on social media to learn more about the history of residential schools along with ideas on reconciliation.
“Every Child Matters reminds us that learning about this history is not just something we do in September. It is an ongoing responsibility to listen to Survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and ensure their stories continue to be heard,” concluded Grand Chief Daniels.
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 33 First Nations and more than 92,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
For media inquiries:
Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca