The Anglican Church of Canada Logo
A group of bishops from the Anglican Church of Canada pose together indoors, all wearing red clothing to mark Red Dress Day, which honours missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people. They stand and sit in several rows, facing the camera in a well-lit meeting room.
Bishops wear red as a sign of remembrance for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls for Red Dress Day.

Red Dress Day: a call to remember and act

Published on 
May 1, 2025

At the spring meeting of the National House of Bishops, the bishops paused to recognize May 5, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ People, also known as Red Dress Day. The red dress has become a symbol of the thousands of Indigenous women and girls who have been taken from their families and communities through violence, neglect and systemic injustice. The bishops each wore something red to honour those who never returned home.

These are sacred lives—our daughters, mothers, sisters, aunties, friends—and beloved children of God. As we remember them, we recognize that the Church has historically been complicit in systems that have harmed Indigenous peoples. We acknowledge the deep pain caused by colonialism, racism, and gender-based violence, and we commit ourselves to healing and reconciliation.

On May 5 and every day, we choose to listen, learn and walk alongside our Indigenous siblings on the path of truth and justice. As a faith community, we are invited to:

  • lift up prayers for the families of those who are missing or have been murdered, for Indigenous women and girls facing risk, and for justice and healing in our country;
  • educate ourselves by engaging with Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, especially the 231 Calls for Justice;
  • support Indigenous-led ministries, including General Synod’s Indigenous Ministries department;
  • wear red or display a red dress as a visual sign of remembrance and solidarity; and
  • advocate for action from local and national leaders to implement the Calls for Justice and support Indigenous-led solutions.

As we remember those we have lost, may our hearts be moved not only to mourn but also to act—with humility, hope, and a commitment to justice.

[Signed +Anne Germond]
The Most Rev. Anne Germond
Acting Primate
Anglican Church of Canada

+Chris Harper
The Most Rev. Chris Harper
National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop
Anglican Church of Canada

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.