Several N.B. communities cancel Canada Day festivities, opting for a 'quiet day of reflection'
On Monday, the village of Cap-Pelé said it was cancelling its Canada Day festivities, acknowledging the need to “pause, educate ourselves and reflect on darker times in the history of our country.”
The village of New Maryland, N.B. decided to do the same on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, Bathurst, Saint John, Fredericton and Rogersville followed.
In a statement, Fredericton’s mayor Kate Rogers said, “We are having to confront some very dark moments in Canadians history.”
“Although there is much that we can take pride in as a Canadian, a quiet time of reflection is exactly what is needed this Canada Day to pause, acknowledge our past and think about what it really means to be a Canadian and an ally to Indigenous peoples,” she said.
Fredericton will be lighting up its city hall in orange in the days before July 1.
“There’s nothing to celebrate, I can tell you,” said St. Mary's First Nation Chief Allan Polchies.
The Wolastoqey Nation will be holding a healing ceremony on July 1, calling it “Resiliency Day.” They’re inviting all allies to join that morning at St. Anne’s Point.
It’s a plan that came together just as the discovery of 751 unmarked graves near a former residential school in Saskatchewan came to light.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that we hold the government responsible for their failed policies that failed our children,” Chief Polchies said. “It’s very, very sad that we have to wake up to news like this coming out of Saskatchewan. It just makes my heartbreak that we have to continue to mourn and go through the trauma that we do on a daily basis.”
In Saint John, flags will be lowered on June 25.
The mayor of New Maryland said cancelling celebrations was the right decision.
“We realize this is very challenging times, it’s a challenging time in history,” said Judy Wilson-Shee. “I’m proud of that decision and I stand by it 100 per cent.”
Halifax Regional Municipality said it didn’t have Canada Day festivities planned because of the pandemic.
Other communities tell CTV Atlantic they are still finalizing plans, but it won’t be business as usual.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing 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.
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.
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.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.