This year marks a milestone in Canada’s journey toward truth and reconciliation. For the first time, a cohort of students graduated high school after participating in Orange Shirt Day every year since kindergarten – leaving the school system with empathy and understanding of the legacy of residential schools.

To commemorate this milestone, the Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation selected orange shirts to be featured on this year’s stamps in the Truth and Reconciliation stamp series.

These stamps honour Survivors and their families, as well as the children who never made it home. They serve as reminders of the stories that must never be forgotten and of our shared responsibility to build a future where EVERY CHILD MATTERS.

EVERY CHILD MATTERS and CHAQUE ENFANT COMPTE are trademarks owned by the Orange Shirt Society and are being used under licence.

Good to know

The Truth and Reconciliation (2026): Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Williams Lake, British Columbia.
- This location was selected because it is where a curriculum reflecting on the residential school experience was piloted in the province, and where Orange Shirt Day first began.
This issue also includes a booklet of eight Permanent™ stamps.
These products are sold separately.

About the Truth and Reconciliation stamp issue

In partnership with the Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, this annual series seeks to raise awareness about residential schools and the legacy of trauma and abuse that continues to have an impact on Indigenous Peoples today.

About Orange Shirt Day

Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 as a grassroots initiative to recognize the legacy of residential schools and honour the children who were taken from their families. It has grown into a national movement for education, reflection and reconciliation. This year marks a milestone in Canada’s journey toward truth and reconciliation. For the first time, a cohort of students graduated high school after participating in Orange Shirt Day every year since kindergarten. These students leave the school system with empathy and a deeper understanding of what happened to Indigenous children in residential schools and their lasting impacts across generations.

About the design

Three stamps are illustrated to reflect the experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
- First Nations - An eagle rises, symbolizing strength and spiritual guidance, while four feathers point upward, celebrating the first generation to learn about residential schools from kindergarten to grade 12. A glowing heart recognizes Survivors, their families and communities. [Illustrated by Emily Kewageshig.]
- Inuit - The figures form a spiral, reflecting how we learn and grow in an ever-expanding circle. Sun rays symbolize hope for younger generations, while the surrounding delta braid represents unity and connection across Inuit Nunangat. [Illustrated by Jason Sikoak.]
- Métis - The sash and floral designs represent Métis culture. Beaded mitts symbolize the land-based learning that residential schools disrupted and the lost ability of a grandmother to protect her grandchild against the elements. [Illustrated by Christi Belcourt.]

The fourth is dedicated to Mother Earth, symbolizing the connection between past, present and future generations.
- Mother Earth - A mother holds her children, whose flowing forms express resilience and intergenerational strength. Rising trees rooted within her body symbolize deep ties to ancestral knowledge and the continuation of these teachings. [Illustrated by Emily Kewageshig.]

The OFDC front features the four Orange Shirt Day T‑shirt designs from the stamp issue and cancel mark.
The cancel mark features an eagle motif, symbolizing strength and spiritual guidance.

Product # 414326131

Truth and Reconciliation (2026): Official First Day Cover