National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Orange Shirt Day was first observed in Williams Lake in 2013 and was started by Phyllis Webstad, a member of Stswecemʼc Xgetʼtem First Nation. In 2021, September 30th also became the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In 2023, it became a statutory holiday, a day of reflection, in British Columbia.

The creation of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was Call to Action 80 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The Commission's mandate was to capture the history and lasting impacts of the Canadian Indian residential school system on Indigenous people and communities. The Commission put forward 94 calls to action to protect Indigenous youth, restore language and culture, reform the justice and health care systems, remember, and move toward reconciliation.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is hosting several “Lunch and Learn” workshops this week. You can watch them on YouTube.

In Langley, an event and candlelight walk will start at 5 pm in Douglas Park and is open to all. The event honours survivors of the residential school system, and the children who never came home, their families, and communities.

Langley City First Platform: Housing

Langley City should be a community where people can afford to live. Langley City First will continue to advocate to the provincial and federal governments to fund affordable and accessible housing projects and implement policies that increase housing affordability for all people. In Langley City, we continue to reform our local bylaws and policies to drive housing affordability and accessibility, and create spaces for people to work, live, and play.

Langley City First Platform: Good Government

A core value of Langley City First is the belief that local government should be accessible, responsive, and pragmatic. Our team is committed to responsible financial and infrastructure stewardship that considers both today's requirements and future needs. Simply put, we want to leave our community's finances and infrastructure in a better place for the long-term. We also believe that all citizens' voices matter and will continue to use models such as Citizens’ Assemblies to guide our decisions on complex issues.

Langley City Platform: Parks And Environment

Langley City First is committed to continuously improving parks, natural areas, and trails within Langley City, including creating programs that support the protecting of natural areas, expanding the urban tree canopy, managing waste, and investing even more in our parks and trails.