Live Q and A

The Live Q & A will be on the NCTR Facebook page: @dev.nctr.ca

The replay of the Orange Shirt Day Virtual Event: 5:30pm (CT), 6:30pm (EST), 3:30pm (PT)

The Live Q & A: 7:00pm (CT), 8:00pm (EST), 5:00pm (PT)

Over 500,000 Canadian youth from across Canada joined the virtual Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2020. The virtual event provided an opportunity to learn first-hand from Residential School Survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, artists and leaders from nations and cultures across the country. It brought together a diverse and inspiring program of Truth and Reconciliation activities and free educational resources for the classroom.

The Live Q & A will follow the replaying of the virtual Orange Shirt Day event. It will include a discussion on the program development, educational resources on truth and reconciliation and how to incorporate the sensitive subject into the classroom year-round. The Q&A event will run for approximately 90 minutes and include time for the audience to pose questions directly to the panel.

Panelists include NCTR interim director Stephanie Scott, who was one of the leading creators of the virtual event; Phyllis Webstad, Survivor and founder of Every Child Matters; Monique Gray Smith, who wrote the Every Child Matters: Reconciliation through Education publication; Linda Connors, the Social Studies Consultant for Manitoba Education; and Elder Harry Bone, who advised on the development of the program.

Panelists

Stephanie Scott

Stephanie Scott is currently the Interim Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR). She is coming to this role from her past position of Director of Operations with the NCTR, in this capacity; she oversaw all budgeting and financial commitments of the NCTR along with Human Resources activities. Stephanie is also a producer of the successful APTN series First Contact. Prior to joining the NCTR team, Stephanie worked with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as the Manager of Statement Gathering she was responsible for the gathering and documenting of ‘Residential School Survivors’ audio and video recorded statements. In addition to this role while at the TRC, Stephanie served as Executive Assistant to the Chair of the TRC where she learned invaluable leadership skills. Prior to her work with the TRC, Stephanie enjoyed a long and successful career operating her own production business of which she still does part time. Through her past and current work with Residential School Survivors, Stephanie experienced firsthand their strength, courage and resilience as they overcome many challenges and is passing these teachings onto the next generation.

Phyllis Webstad

Phyllis Webstad is Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). She comes from mixed Secwepemc and Irish/French heritage, was born in Dog Creek, and lives in Williams Lake, BC. Today, Phyllis is married, has one son, a step-son and five grandchildren. She is the Executive Director of the Orange Shirt Society, and tours the country telling her story and raising awareness about the impacts of the residential school system. She has now published two books, the “Orange Shirt Story” and “Phyllis’s Orange Shirt” for younger children.

She earned diplomas in Business Administration from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology; and in Accounting from Thompson Rivers University. Phyllis received the 2017 TRU Distinguished Alumni Award for her unprecedented impact on local, provincial, national and international communities through the sharing of her orange shirt story.

Monique Gray Smith

Monique Gray Smith is a proud mom of teenage twins, an award-winning, best-selling author and sought after consultant. Monique’s first published novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience won the 2014 Burt Award for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Literature.

Since then, Monique has had 6 books come out. These include Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation; My Heart Fills with Happiness, You Hold Me Up, Lucy and Lola, Tilly and the Crazy Eights and soon to be released, When We Are Kind.

Monique’s books are used to share wisdom, knowledge, hope and the important teaching that love is medicine.

Monique is Cree, Lakota and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 29 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.

Linda Connors

After teaching for over 3 decades in the classroom, Linda Connor continues to learn and work as the Social Studies Consultant for Manitoba Education. In addition to co-authoring the newly approved grade 11 Canadian history textbook Shaping Canada, Linda Connor contributed to the grade 7 social studies textbook, The World Today, and the grade 9 civics textbook, Canada in the Contemporary World. Linda was on the Manitoba Social Studies Steering Committee and curriculum development teams for grades 7, 9 and 11 social studies. She is also the Provincial Coordinator for UNESCO schools, is on the Speaker’s Bureau for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, and is the editor of the MSSTA journal for Manitoba social studies teachers. As a member of the Steering Committee, Linda Connor is grateful for this opportunity to continue advance NCTR Calls to Action with educators across the country.

Elder Harry Bone

Elder Dr. Harry Bone is a member of Keeseekoowenin Ojibway Nation, where he served as a Chief and Director of Education. He also worked as a CEO at the West Region Tribal Council and as a Director of the Manitoba Indian Education Authority. Many individuals and communities touched by his work recognize his distinguished achievements in leadership, scholarship and public service. The University of Manitoba honoured Elder Bone with an Honorary Doctor of Law degree for his work that continues to advance Indigenous education in Canada. In December 2017, Elder Bone was announced as an appointee to the Order of Canada “for his contributions to advancing Indigenous education and preserving traditional laws, and for creating bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples and communities.”