Canada is marking its first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Thursday.
Earlier this year, the federal government passed a bill making September 30 a statutory holiday to honour the Indigenous children lost to residential schools.
Locally, many municipalities and organizations are marking the day including Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
Theresa Sims, the Indigenous Culture Specialist at the Ska:na Family Learning Centre, says her mother was a victim of the residential school system while she has six cousins she never heard from again.
Speaking at a board meeting Wednesday, Sims says an apology is all Indigenous people are looking for.
"My mother said all she wanted was an apology. Do you know our pain? You can help us through that healing, that's all we ask. Monetary, that comes and goes, but that human being, one human being to another, that's more important."
She says the healing process has just began.
"Everything was taken from us. So we have to almost start with the basics and get up each layer. It's like an onion, we're going layer by layer. It's going to take a while, but we need support because we're the ones that are healing."
Sims says the day is going to hit hard for many, including herself.
"The impact may be very different to you because it's going to be very emotional for me because of my mom being in residential school. And also, I have six cousins that we never found out where they are because he never came home."
People across Canada are asked to wear orange Thursday to raise awareness on the tragic legacy of residential schools and to honour the thousands of survivors.