Horgan marks Indigenous Peoples Day by urging recognition of systemic racism
Premier John Horgan is marking National Indigenous Peoples Day by celebrating First Nation communities while recognizing systemic racism continues to be a reality for them.
A statement from Horgan and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin says they honour the leadership, resilience and strength of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.
But the statement says B.C. must also recognize the “systemic racism, discrimination and intergenerational trauma Indigenous Peoples have experienced and continue to experience.”
A release from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs says it's time Canada admitted accountability for past wrongs.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip says Indigenous Peoples Day comes during grieving after it was announced that 215 unmarked graves were found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, and the “pain, trauma and hurt that continues to be inflicted by practices of colonialism.”
National Indigenous Peoples Day has been marked in Canada since 1996 and as a statutory territorial holiday in the Northwest Territories since 2001 and in Yukon since 2017.
Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki says his city is the latest to call off Canada Day celebrations in order to mourn the Kamloops discovery.
“Out of respect for Indigenous communities across Canada who are grieving, it is important to Penticton city council that this year's Canada Day activities honour the history, culture and traditions of Indigenous people,” Vassilaki says in a recent statement.
Time constraints and pandemic restrictions prevent planning for more appropriate events, the mayor says.
He advises residents to use the day to reflect on Canada's history and seek ways to create inclusive communities.
Victoria city council voted unanimously earlier this month to cancel a planned Canada Day broadcast and instead “explore what it means to be Canadian, in light of recent events.”
The chamber of commerce in Port Hardy also recently announced it had scrubbed Canada Day events, saying celebrations would not be “appropriate or respectful” while the investigation in Kamloops continues.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.