Calls for cancellation: Maritimers weigh in on a movement to drop Canada Day
There are calls to cancel Canada Day since the discovery of 215 Indigenous children buried on the site of a former residential school in British Columbia.
But in Nova Scotia, some think it's not so much about cancelling or changing Canada Day, July 1st should be a day of education and a chance to learn from one another.
A Mi'kmaq and Canadian flag fly side-by-side at half-mast outside the Memebrtou Heritage Centre in Sydney, N.S.
Many people in the First Nations community continue to reflect on the tragic findings on the west coast of Canada late last month.
"I'm glad that it's not a story that was just once and left and is no longer in the news," says Jeff Ward, general manager of Memebrtou Heritage Park.
The discovery of 215 Indigenous children's bodies in Kamloops, B.C. last month hits close to home for Ward, whose mother is a residential school survivor.
He's among a chorus in favour of cancelling Canada Day celebrations, and calls Victoria, B.C.'s decision to do so one that recognizes the seriousness of the situation.
"There is a lot of systemic racism that exists today and I feel this is the start or the beginning of what we call reconcili-action, or part of reconciliation," says Ward.
The mayor of Victoria, B.C. says it's hard to sing and dance and celebrate when so many people are grieving.
"Context changed when those 215 children's bodies were discovered. They are reeling and everybody is reeling. We're all just doing our best to figure out how to move forward,' says Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
Across the country, the hashtag #CancelCanadaDay is gaining traction on social media, with rallies planned from coast to coast on July 1.
"It's very hard to feel pride in Canada these days, so yes, I think it's a good idea to just cancel it for this year," says resident Margo Taylor-Ritchie.
But the question is, should Canada Day be permanently pushed off the calendar?
"My respectful advice would be to keep Canada Day. Do not cancel it, but use it as an occasion to reflect on who we are as a country and where we're going together," says Tom Urbaniak, a political science professor at Cape Breton University.
Urbaniak says taking the focus away from the issue at hand could become a real problem.
"This debate, I fear, is distracting from the important focus and work that needs to happen on reconciliation and on ensuring each of the treaties are upheld," he says.
"I know there's a great sense of pride for people to be Canadian, but when you're Indigenous and look at our history, it's hard to see the things that has happened," says Ward.
Urbaniak says since this is the second Canada Day in the pandemic with no mass gatherings and smaller virtual events, it's a chance for people to reflect on how committed we are to reconciliation and where this country is going.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.