Chief says he’s offended by mandatory federal branding on Orange Shirt Day funding

OTTAWA — The chief of James Smith Cree Nation says he’s offended by Ottawa’s requirement that promotional materials for Orange Shirt Day events funded by the federal government carry government branding.

Kirby Constant told The Canadian Press the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is meant to honour survivors of residential schools and day schools — and those who never made it home — and to mark the legacy of those institutions in First Nations communities today.

James Smith Cree Nation received roughly $6,700 from the federal Canadian Heritage department to hold events in the community for Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30. The community’s events included a memorial walk, a sweat ceremony, a feast and a beading class. Some of that money was also spent on honorariums for firekeepers.