Orange Shirt Day in Manitoba: Where to buy a shirt and who to support

Friday is Orange Shirt Day, also known as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“September and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a moment for the country to pause, reflect, and remember the children who never came home from residential school and those still with us today,” said Stephanie Scott, executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

The whole week leading up to the day is known as National Truth and Reconciliation Week.

People can mark the day and week by wearing Orange Shirts and attending Indigenous events and ceremonies across the city.

The Manitoba Museum is offering free admission to the museum galleries, planetarium and science gallery from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in recognition of Orange Shirt Day.

If people are looking to purchase an Orange Shirt, there are many places to do so but not all of them support the cause.

“I always tell people to do your due diligence and research the companies or the stores you’re going to buy from,” said Michelle Cameron, owner of Indigenous National Apparel Company (INAC).

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“I always encourage people to purchase from an Indigenous company, an Indigenous store — support an Indigenous business when you’re purchasing an Orange Shirt.”

INAC has some big partners on board this year, including Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Marks Work Warehouse, Manitoba Hydro, WRHA, and more.

“Our shirts are in all of their 366 stores,” Cameron said. “There are some really big partners that come on board — they sought out an Indigenous company, which is really important.”

The Orange Shirts being sold at these various locations come with the “Every Child Matters” message.

Big things are in the works for INAC as it plans to open its second location in Saskatoon in late fall as well as a partnership that could take the company across Canada.

“We’ve been doing this campaign for a few years and I’ve really seen the growth over the last few years,” Cameron said.