Honour and pay tribute to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples with this booklet of 8 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps issued to mark the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

About the issue

Canada Post is committed to listening to Indigenous voices and to using these stamps as a way for Survivors to share the truth of their experiences so that we can support the process of reconciliation and, ultimately, healing, as we move forward.

Canada Post thanks the Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation for their guidance throughout this process.

The Survivors Circle stressed that it is necessary to address the truth before we can collectively work toward reconciliation. As such, this year’s stamps focus on archival images of the school as part of our collective efforts to come to terms with the full history of residential schools and their ongoing impact on Indigenous Peoples today.

Canada Post calls on Canadians to acknowledge and reflect on the injustices that have been levelled on generations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Canada Post is committed to building relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities to support the reconciliation process.

This stamp issue calls attention to the trauma created by the residential school system and the need for healing and reconciliation.

About residential schools in Canada

Kamloops Residential School, Kamloops, BC
Opened: 1890
Closed: 1978
Denomination: Roman Catholic

The Kamloops Industrial School became one of the largest schools in the Indian Affairs residential school system.

In 2021, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc announced the discovery of 200 potential burials at the former Kamloops Residential School site, changing the national conversation about the history and impact of residential schools in Canada.

Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School, Île-à-la-Crosse, SK
Opened: 1821
Closed: 1976
Denomination: Roman Catholic

Residential schools for boys and girls were operated in the historically Métis community of Île-à-la-Crosse from 1821 to 1976. A day school began in 1847, evolving into a residential school after 1860.

Sept-Îles Residential School, Sept-Îles, QC
Opened: 1952
Closed: 1971
Denomination: Roman Catholic

Also known as Maliotenam, the Sept-Îles Residential School was the first such institution established in Quebec in the post-war period. Instruction at the school was in French and starting in 1961, it also served as a residence for students attending high school in Sept-Îles.

Grollier Hall, Inuvik, NT
Opened: 1959
Closed: 1997
Denomination: Roman Catholic

Grollier Hall was opened in the newly established community of Inuvik as part of a federal plan to establish hostels in northern communities. It was selected for the stamp issue to represent Inuit and Northern First Nations experiences at residential schools. The inclusion of the residence extends the scope of this series to include the experiences of Survivors who attended day schools, which often go unrecognized.

About the design

Stamp designs

Each stamp features an archival photograph of a residential school or school residence in a different province or territory: Kamloops Residential School, Kamloops (BC); Île-à-la-Crosse Residential School, Île-à-la-Crosse (SK); Sept-Îles Residential School, Sept-Îles (QC); and Grollier Hall, Inuvik (NT).

The stark archival images of these institutions serve as a reminder of the fear, loneliness, pain and shame that Indigenous children experienced within their walls.

If you require support, please call the 24-hour toll-free National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.

Booklet design

"I want to ask you to get comfortable with discomfort. If Canadians want reconciliation, they can’t turn away." - Jesse Wente, Anishinaabe writer and thinker.

Booklet front cover image

Shubenacadie Residential School, Shubenacadie, NS
Opened: 1929
Closed: 1967
Denomination: Roman Catholic

Shubenacadie was the only residential school for Indigenous children in the Maritimes. With its opening, the system hit a peak of eighty schools operating at the same time until the 1950s.

Booklet interior images: Top

Turquetil Hall, Chesterfield Inlet, NU
Opened: 1954
Closed: 1969
Denomination: Roman Catholic

Opened as St. Mary’s residence before being renamed in 1961, Turquetil Hall housed students who were flown in from remote and far-away communities to attend the local day school. Turquetil Hall was selected for the stamp issue to ensure northern representation of Survivor experiences. Its inclusion also extends the series to include the experiences of Survivors who attended day schools.

Booklet interior images: Bottom

Ermineskin Residential School, Maskwacis, AB
Opened: 1895
Closed: 1975
Denomination: Roman Catholic

At the height of the residential school system in the 1920s, more than half of the eighty institutions were located in the three Prairie Provinces.

Pope Francis visited the site of the former institution in July 2022, before apologizing for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system.

Product # 414240111

Truth and Reconciliation: Permanent™ domestic rate stamps – booklet of 8