For a period of more than 150 years, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation children were taken from their families and communities to attend schools which were often located far from their homes. More than 150,000 children attended Indian Residential Schools. Many never returned.
On Orange Shirt Day (September 30), Safeway — alongside all of Sobeys Inc.’s banners from coast to coast — showed their support for Indigenous teammates, families, customers, and the communities we serve by wearing an orange shirt or ribbon to send a strong message of recognition and remembrance to Indigenous Peoples.
Thank you to all of our Safeway teammates who took the time to wear orange shirts, ribbons and stickers, create in-store informational displays, and share inspiring stories. Not to mention those who donated to local organizations supporting Indigenous Peoples.
Check out just a few photos of how our Safeway teammates from across the country marked this meaningful day — showing our commitment to the journey to Truth and Reconciliation. We’re so inspired by your display of solidarity with our Indigenous communities.
But there’s always more we can do. At Sobeys Inc., we’re committed to taking action for the long-term. This includes our ongoing involvement in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations program in partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. For more information, you can reach out to Kakwiranoron Cook (kakwiranoron.cook@sobeys.com), Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations and Communications.
In addition, you can visit the “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jam Group” tile in the home page of your People Portal to access Indigenous Workplace Inclusion resources.