Nova Scotia to observe Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30

Clement Chartier, president of the Metis National Council, watches as a ceremonial cloth with the names of 2,800 children who died in residential schools and were identified in the National Student Memorial Register, is carried to the stage during the Honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation ceremony in Gatineau, Quebec on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Justin Tang)

HALIFAX -

Nova Scotia says government offices, public schools and regulated child care will be closed on Sept. 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day, the newest statutory holiday.

Businesses will have the choice, as they do on other occasions, to remain open.

"We are taking this step to recognize the importance of honouring First Nations, Inuit and Métis residential school survivors and their families and communities," Premier Tim Houston said in a release.

"We encourage all Nova Scotians, whether you are working or in school, to make time on Sept. 30 for important discussions about Canada's history of residential schools."

The new annual holiday is set aside to recognize the horrific legacy of the country's residential schools.

It's up to each province to decide whether it will be a day off.

The New Brunswick government has chosen not to recognize the holiday.

Nova Scotia says Truth and Reconciliation Day acknowledges "the legacy of residential schools and the vital role it holds in the reconciliation process."

"By taking time to reflect, we have an opportunity to consider how each of us can help make Nova Scotia more inclusive and equitable for everyone who calls this province home,"Jill Balser, minister of labour, skills, and immigration, said in a release.