'Everybody should be off on that day': Indigenous leaders in N.B. say of Sept. 30 holiday
The Indigenous Women of the Wabanaki Territories is calling on New Brunswick businesses to shut their doors on Sept. 30 in solidarity, despite the provincial government's decision not to recognize the date as a provincial statutory holiday.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a new federal statutory holiday that will be marked for the first time in a matter of weeks, and is dedicated to reflecting on the history of the residential school system – and the discoveries of many unmarked graves.
"Those were babies that were taken from their homes that never returned home some of them, and that's a day we should sit in solitude and celebrate them and gather, we should have that opportunity," says president of the organization, Brandy Stanovich. "Everybody should be off on that day so they can come and join in those ceremonies and the learning from Indigenous people, because it is our history and it does carry down through our bloodlines."
Despite the decision from the provincial government, the city of Miramichi does plan to participate in the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
This will become a designated paid holiday for the municipality, allowing employees of the city to take part in the day.
"We were in a position, our collective agreements with our unions allowed for us to do this," says Miramichi mayor Adam Lordon.
"As a council we felt it was very important to participate in the day."
The town of Sussex has also posted on social media that they too will be observing on September 30 – allowing town employees to recognize and reflect.
The post also says that they encourage everyone to take a moment on that day to honour survivors, and to think about what each one of us can do to advance reconciliation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.