Truth And Reconciliation

August 8, 2025

Truth & Reconciliation

September 30th, marks both a terrible history and hopeful future.

On the one hand, it’s a painful day, one that calls on us to remember the damage done to indigenous communities throughout a long saga of colonialism in Canada. On the other, there is the hope that if we recognize and work to address this damage, we can spare future generations the indignities of the past.

So, what does that mean, in practice?

That means recognizing that it will take all of us, working together as a community, to accomplish that hope.

That means that - even if we’re just a humble dispensary - on this day, we highlight the fact that approximately 150,000 Indigenous children were torn from their homes and communities and forced to attend one of 139 residential schools across Canada.

That means that we wear orange t-shirts, to show solidarity with those who suffered under a policy of cultural annihilation for over a century, like Phyllis Webstad, who had the shiny orange shirt given to her by her grandmother ripped from her on her first day of school.

“The color orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared,” Phyllis writes on the Orange Shirt Day website.

Stories just like that of Phyllis remind us that, while we may wish to forget, the stated goal of the Residential School program was, according to Bishop Vital Grandin who ran one such school, to “instill in them a pronounced distaste for native life so that they will be humiliated when reminded of their origin.”

It’s a nauseous sentiment, one that demands of us action. To that end, Sunrise will be donating to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS), a provincial organization with a twenty-year history of providing services to the survivors of the Indian Residential School System. Although they work as a holistic organization, their main function is to assist survivors with the litigation processes related to residential schools and redress the judicial imbalance of Corrections Canada Services towards indigenous communities.

As inhabitants in the ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵ wx̱ú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, we want to be part of the solution. Up against the enormity of the problem our actions can seem small, but collectively we can make an impact.



******* Special Thanks to Vince Biancardi Da Camara who authored this post on behalf of Sunrise Cannabis **********

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WHERE TO WATCH FIFA IN VANCOUVER AND CONSUME CANNABIS

By Ehren Richardson • June 5, 2026
Where to Watch For soccer fans interested in experiencing both FIFA 2026 and British Columbia’s world renowned cannabis, there are several opportunities to do both in Vancouver: Start by locating one of Vancouver's FIFA training or event venues. We've put together a list to make it easy: Killarney Park VSTS Located in East Vancouver near the Killarney Community Centre 6260 Killarney St., Vancouver, BC, V5S 2X7 National Soccer Development Centre VSTS Located at the University of British Columbia 3065 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2J3 Hastings Park (PNE) FIFA Fan Festival From June 11 to July 19, 2026, Hastings Park will host giant-screen live match broadcasts in a free, open-to-the-public festival atmosphere featuring food and beverages, cultural programming, and more than 120 live performances. While you won't see the teams and players in person at this venue, it will be one of Vancouver's premier destinations for watching the matches and celebrating the tournament. Vancouver’s Legacy Cannabis Retailers Before heading to a training session or fan event, check out one of Vancouver's legacy cannabis retailers. Prior to legalization in October 2018, these stores – then commonly known as medical marijuana dispensaries – provided access to cannabis for thousands of Canadians. Many of the people behind these businesses accepted significant personal and legal risks while advocating for cannabis reform and challenging prohibition. Their efforts helped pave the way for the legal cannabis industry that exists in Canada today. Here are several legacy retailers conveniently located near FIFA-related venues: Near Killarney Park Sunrise Cannabis (1.1 Km from Killarney Park) THC Canada (4.5 km from Killarney Park) Near UBC National Soccer Development Centre Chronic Hub (On route to UBC National Soccer Development Centre) Evergreen (On route to UBC National Soccer Development Centre) Near Hastings Park Village Bloomery (On route to Hastings Park) Eggs Canna (On route to Hastings Park) Vancouver is an official host city for the 2026 FIFA games and for the first time in history, fans will be able to attend games in a nation that has legalized weed. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to consume cannabis at a game because it is prohibited. However, you can purchase as many alcoholic drinks as you like at the games, and many will do just that. So is this a double standard or is FIFA behind the times or …both? Canada's legal cannabis industry has grown significantly since legalization in 2018, generating billions of dollars in economic activity and tax revenue while supporting a regulated system focused on public health, safety, and consumer choice. As a result, cannabis has become part of the experience many visitors seek when traveling to Canada.