Radio Broadcasters Across Canada Unite for the 5th Year for A DAY TO LISTEN 2025 to Amplify Indigenous Voices on September 30

– January Rogers, Kiefer Collison, and William Prince host the 12-hour radio broadcast marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation –

– Special guests include Carol Ann Hilton, Dr. Marcia Anderson, Niigaan Sinclair, Waneek Horn-Miller, and more –

– To learn more, and for a full list of guest speakers and participating radio stations, visit ADayToListen.ca –

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2025 /CNW/ – In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, hundreds of broadcasters in Canada are coming together for the fifth year in a row to amplify Indigenous voices with A DAY TO LISTEN 2025. Produced by the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) in partnership with Orbyt Media, the 12-hour broadcast airs on radio stations throughout Canada on Tuesday, September 30, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time).

Poet and media producer January Rogers and former reality TV star and motivational speaker Kiefer Collison take the lead as the hosts of A DAY TO LISTEN. They are joined by JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter William Prince. Together, they will share stories and interviews with Indigenous community leaders, experts, artists, creators, Elders, and more. A full list of interviewees and participating radio stations is available at ADayToListen.ca.

This year’s theme is The Path Here | The Path Ahead. It’s been a decade since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its Final Report and 94 Calls to Action, challenging all of us—Indigenous and non-Indigenous—to confront the past and work toward a better future. The special guests will reflect on 10 years of reconciliation, sharing powerful insights on what brought us to this moment and where we can go from here.

“We are honoured to bring people across Canada together for the fifth year of A DAY TO LISTEN,” said Sarah Midanik, President & CEO of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. “With hundreds of stations uniting to share Indigenous stories, this year’s theme, The Path Here | The Path Ahead, reflects on a decade of reconciliation—its progress and challenges. We’re proud to work with our hosts and featured leaders to ensure Indigenous voices are heard, honoured, and amplified.”

“It is an honour to continue our partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund as we collaborate on A DAY TO LISTEN,” said Heidi Baiden, Senior Manager at Orbyt Media. “For the fifth year in a row, radio stations of all sizes and formats are coming together to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and bringing these important stories and interviews to listeners across Canada.”

Listeners are encouraged to visit downiewenjack.ca throughout the day to explore their educational programming, such as the Legacy Schools program, which provides schools and educators with free tools and resources for teaching about not only the true history of residential schools and other colonial policies,  but also the richness, strength, and diversity of Indigenous cultures. DWF is an Indigenous-led national charity working to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Listeners can learn how they can Do Something to move reconciliation forward by visiting downiewenjack.ca.

In addition to the 12-hour radio broadcast, extended interviews and conversations will be available through the A DAY TO LISTEN podcast on all major podcast platforms, including iHeart.com and the iHeartRadio Canada app and Spotify. Plus, a 1-hour radio program will be heard on news and talk stations throughout the country.

The inaugural collaboration in 2021 followed the public announcement that the remains of 215 children were buried at the site of the former Kamloops Residential School, with the number of confirmed and suspected burial sites at former residential schools throughout Canada continuing to rise. 

About the Hosts: 

Kiefer Collison – Kiefer Collison is “Just a Kid from the Rez”, who has a message of strength and resilience and wants to empower people to find the strength in their voices. Growing up on Haida Gwaii in the small village of Old Massett has given Kiefer a unique outlook and appreciation for the strength in community. During Kiefer’s time on the reality TV show Big Brother Canada Season 9, he had the opportunity to represent all Indigenous people on a national scale. Kiefer says it was his greatest honour in life to be a representative for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

January Rogers – January Rogers is a Mohawk/Tuscarora writer and media producer. She lives on her home territory of Six Nations of the Grand River, where she operates Ojistoh Publishing and Productions. January combines her literary talents with her passion for media making to produce audio and video poetry. Her video poem “Ego of a Nation” won Best Music Video at the American Indian International Film Festival 2020, and her audio work “The Battle Within” won Best Experimental Audio at imagineNative International Film and Media Festival 2021. She has been a literary mentor with Audible, the Indigenous Writers Circle Program since 2022. January wrote a 10-episode comedy series NDNs on the Airwaves (found on the Ojistoh YouTube channel), and her play Blood Sport, a comedy about the pretendian crisis in Indian Country, has received numerous stage readings and was published by Turtle’s Back Publishing in 2023.

William Prince – William Prince, the two-time JUNO Award-winning artist from Peguis First Nation, continues to build an exceptional body of acclaimed work. Recent accolades for Prince’s music include the John Prine Songwriter Fellowship, Allan Slaight Impact in Music Award and Americana Honors & Awards nomination. From Newport Folk Festival to sold-out shows at prestigious theatres including Massey Hall, from NPR’s Tiny Desk to tours with The War and Treaty, Yola and more, William Prince has made significant appearances on historic stages. Celebrated by peers, critics and fans, William Prince’s songs resonate on deep emotional levels.

Now, with his new album Further From the Country, Prince expands his sound and sharpens his focus for a collection of songs that share personal and universal truths alike. A commanding and accomplished album, Further From the Country signals an artist who has impelled his craft to formidable new heights.

About the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund

Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Our goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all peoples in Canada. Learn more at downiewenjack.ca.

About Orbyt Media:

Orbyt Media, a subsidiary of Bell Media, is Canada’s premier content syndication group, providing the most comprehensive lineup of programs and best-in-class broadcast services to more than 380 stations in 155 markets across the country. Orbyt Media delivers the world’s best in talk, entertainment, and sports programming, in addition to industry-leading imaging, production, show prep, and research tools. For more information, please visit OrbytMedia.com.

SOURCE The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund