National Indigenous Peoples
Day is a day for all Canadians to celebrate and acknowledge the distinct heritage,
language, cultural practices, spiritual beliefs and valuable contributions of
First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.
Created in 1996 through the Proclamation Declaring June 21 of Each Year as Aboriginal Day, the day came about after consultations and statements of support from;
- The Sacred Assembly, a national
conference of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people chaired by Elijah
Harper, called for a national holiday to celebrate the contributions of
Indigenous People
- The Royal Commission on Aboriginal
Peoples recommended the designation of a National First Peoples Day
- The National Indian Brotherhood
(now the Assembly of First Nations) called for the creation of National
Aboriginal Solidarity Day
June 21, the summer
solstice, was designated as the office date. The reasoning behind this was that
many Indigenous Nations traditionally celebrated their culture and heritage on
or around the longest day of the year. In 2017, Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau renamed the day National Indigenous Peoples Day.
There have been arguments
made that National Indigenous Peoples Day should be a statutory holiday, as
taking this step would send a message of national respect and action. To date
only the Northwest Territories have made this a national and regional holiday.
This day is important as a tool to educate non-Indigenous Canadians about
Indigenous Peoples' cultures and histories.
Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day recently made a statement supporting National Indigenous Peoples Day, and views it as an opportunity to educate Canadians on First Nations culture.
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