Honouring their life stories is a vital step on our individual and collective paths toward Reconciliation. Our understanding of Reconciliation is guided by the voices and experiences of Indigenous partners, employees, friends and community leaders. This process of understanding begins by listening to the Truth shared with us. While Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are important moments to reflect and honour Survivors of Canada’s colonial legacy, our responsibility to engage in meaningful conversation and amplify Indigenous voices remains ongoing.

As part of this journey, today we deepen our understanding by learning about the Sixties Scoop—a systemic effort by the Canadian government to remove Indigenous children from their families and communities. This intentional act of cultural erasure caused lasting harm that continues to affect generations. In learning about this history, we also honour the ongoing efforts of Indigenous communities to reclaim and protect culture, heritage and family.

What is the Sixties Scoop?

The Sixties Scoop refers to the systemic removal of thousands of Indigenous children from their families, homes and communities due to government policy that was enacted by provincial and federal bodies, often in tangent with private adoption agencies. We’ve learned from Indigenous partners that this began in the 1950s, following amendments to the Indian Act that gave provinces jurisdiction over Indigenous child welfare. Over the following decades, child welfare authorities apprehended children—without consent—and placed them in non-Indigenous foster and adoptive homes across North America. This was part of a broader effort to assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream Canadian society.

Though the practice known as birth alerts—where expectant parents were flagged to hospital staff without their consent—has been discontinued in many provinces, it was only one of several child welfare interventions historically used to separate Indigenous children from their families, and similar interventions continue today. Currently, there are more Indigenous children in care than during the height of the Sixties Scoop, underscoring the ongoing impact of colonial systems on Indigenous families.¹

This commercial advertises Saskatchewan’s AIM (Adopt Indian and Métis) program. The program was federally funded by Department of Health and Welfare. Aired May 30, 1968, on CBC-TV news.

Many of the children who were forcibly removed grew up disconnected from their Indigenous heritage, language and community. This led to a profound loss of identity, family and culture. The impacts are both personal and societal—Survivors continue to confront trauma, cultural disconnection and marginalization. Yet, many Canadians remain unaware of the full scope and consequences of being stolen from one’s family and way of life.

Why is it important to talk about the Sixties Scoop?

Acknowledging the impacts of the Sixties Scoop is a necessary part of understanding the Truth on our paths toward Reconciliation. Phyllis Jack Webstad, residential school Survivor and Founder of the Orange Shirt Society, advocates for the Truth through conversation.

One day in the near future there will not be a Survivor left in Canada. The need to hear and tell the Truth is now.

Phyllis Jack Webstad, Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek/Dog Creek Indian Band)

Today, it’s important for us to take part in conversations that raise awareness about the tragic legacy of Canada’s colonial past. That’s why we’re honoured to listen to the Survivors of the Sixties Scoop. Conversations like these help us gain insights about the Truth and the lasting impacts of this history.

Shannon Henderson (left), chief operating officer of the Orange Shirt Society, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and Tanya Laing Gahr (right), manager, community & Indigenous initiatives.

Gaining insights from Shannon Henderson

We were honoured to have the opportunity to speak to Shannon Henderson, Sixties Scoop Survivor and chief operating officer of the Orange Shirt Society, about her experience connecting with her culture after being separated from her family as a child.

Shannon’s story

During a conversation with Tanya Laing Gahr, manager, community & Indigenous initiatives, Shannon shared her experience of being taken from her community as a child and placed in foster homes across North America. She also emphasized the powerful impact of her grandfather, Mr. Edward Gilbert Nahanee, whose advocacy for Indigenous rights ultimately led her back to her community, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).

“At the age of three,” Shannon told us, “I was taken and sent to four different foster homes in Surrey. My brother, who was one, was sent to Montreal. Later, my brother and I were shipped off to Philadelphia, where I attended an all-girls Catholic school. The only reason I’m back in my community now is because of my grandfather, who was a part of the Native Brotherhood* and fought for Indigenous rights. It was him who brought me back at the age of 11. I was gone from my community for eight years.”

Shannon explained the challenges that came with reconnecting with her culture after being separated from her community. “Coming back and being accepted into my community was really scary,” she said. “Every time I left the reserve, I felt this ugly feeling in my stomach. I thought about my ancestors that had to get permission if they wanted to leave, because if they didn’t, they would be thrown in jail. But I also had this sense of pride in being part of my community. It was a sense of getting a connection back that I had lost as a child.”

As past president and current chief operating officer of the Orange Shirt Society, Shannon draws inspiration from her grandfather as she advocates for Survivors from residential schools and the Sixties Scoop. This work can be challenging; Shannon told us that she often relies on her family, her culture and the connections in her community to grapple with the impacts of the past. “My community is proud of the work I do,” she said. “It’s all about advocating for Survivors. A lot of Survivors don’t feel like they belong in their community. It’s the work that keeps me going—and it’s the people—my children and grandchildren that keeps me strong.”

It's the conversations that matter

Today, it’s the conversations that matter. Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation provide us with an opportunity to acknowledge Canada’s colonial legacy. That’s why we’re honoured to listen to the experiences of influential Survivors like Shannon.

At FortisBC, we believe in taking part in conversations that honour the experiences of Indigenous employees, friends and partners. We all have a responsibility to engage in meaningful conversations that spread awareness about the legacy of the residential school system, the Sixties Scoop and the many Survivors of Canada’s colonial past.

We value the opportunities we’ve had to listen and learn from Indigenous leaders. Learn more about how we work together with Indigenous organizations, communities and businesses.

*The Native Brotherhood of British Columbia (NBBC), established in 1931, is Canada’s oldest active Indigenous organization. It represents First Nations fishermen, tendermen and shoreworkers across the province and has played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Formed by a coalition of coastal villages, the NBBC was created to advance the well-being of Indigenous communities. One of its most significant contributions was opposing the 1969 White Paper, a federal policy proposal aimed at eliminating Indigenous rights and assimilating Indigenous Peoples into the broader Canadian body politic. The NBBC’s resistance to this policy was foundational and deeply connected to the broader movement for Indigenous rights.

¹Indigenous foster children living in private households: Rates and sociodemographic characteristics of foster children and their households