The Montreal Alouettes and the eight other Canadian Football League teams are marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with fundraising efforts and Indigenous-designed logos for games this week.
The Alouettes, who participated in a flag football activity with local youth in Kahnawake on Monday, will sport special orange jerseys during warm-up before their game Saturday at Toronto, and during the game will wear helmets featuring a logo designed by Kahnawake artist Finnley Montour.
The design transforms the Alouettes’ logo into a dreamcatcher with a 12-pointed star in the middle to represent the 12 players on the field, and three features representing the Mohawk headdress.
The other seven CFL teams playing this weekend will also have commemorative logos on their helmets, and a portion of proceeds from the sale of merchandise will support local Indigenous groups. The Calgary Stampeders, who are on a bye week this week, featured their commemorative logo in their game against the Alouettes on Sept. 14.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, an annual federal holiday honouring the victims of Canada’s residential school system, is next Monday. It has been observed every Sept. 30, coinciding with the grassroots-organized Orange Shirt Day, since 2021.