Episode 3: Orange Shirt Day

Orange Shirt Day is a day to acknowledge the intergenerational trauma of residential schools, as well as taking steps toward healing and reconciliation. It symbolizes the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, whose brand-new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school, when she was just six years old.  

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Yvonne Poitras Pratt, a Métis scholar who specializes in Indigenous education. Yvonne gives us some of the background on Orange Shirt Day and how this event can help spark broader conversations about Canada's history with Indigenous peoples and the brutal legacy of residential schools.  

Have an idea for a future episode? Email podcasts@ucalgary.ca.