One Canadian city has cancelled Canada Day: Should Toronto follow suit?
In light of the recent discovery of hundreds of children’s remains at residential schools across the nation, some cities in Canada are considering cancelling all July 1 celebrations — and one already has.
On June 10, Victoria, B.C. was the first to announce the cancellation.
“As First Nations mourn, and in light of the challenging moment we are in as a Canadian nation following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former Residential School, Council has decided to take the time to explore new possibilities, instead of the previously planned virtual Canada Day broadcast,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said in a statement.
Now, questions are swirling around whether other cities will follow suit — Toronto included.
Dr. Angela Mashford Pringle, an assistant professor of Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and a member of the Timiskaming First Nation, told CTV News Toronto Tuesday that she feels the holiday is celebrating “colonization and oppression and genocide.”
While she says the celebrations should be cancelled out of respect for the children, she added that there are other serious issues facing Indigenous communities right now that would make a July 1 celebration inappropriate.
“I think there are a few things that are different [this year]. First, the pandemic, while we had it last year, it is actually hitting First Nations and Metis communities, specifically remote ones, much harder right now … We've also had the Inquiry for the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and the subsequent lack of response from government,” Pringle said.
“And the fact that we have a number of First Nations who don't have clean drinking water, that we have inadequate housing and that we've got overcrowding in the houses that we do have,” she continued.
When reached for comment, the City of Toronto said that, last week, Council recommitted to and approved taking further action to support truth, justice, and reconciliation.
The city reiterated that it had indeed cancelled in-person Canada Day celebrations this year, due to COVID-19 concerns.
“As in past years, the City will announce details of its (now virtual) Canada Day programming closer to the date,” Deborah Blackstone, spokesperson for the City of Toronto, told CTV News Toronto.
Nelson Wiseman, Director of Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto, said he doesn’t understand what the significance of cancelling the holiday would be.
“For most people, Canada Day is simply a day off work. The overwhelming majority of Canadians do not celebrate any of our holidays. They celebrate the fact that they're not working. Overall, very few people actually go out to celebrate,” Wiseman told CTV News Toronto Wednesday.
“Why don't [they] pick Christmas? After all, it was a Christian denomination that ran these institutions.”
Kyra Schrader of Toronto feels differently.
“ My father, sister and I are Métis. We will not be celebrating Canada Day as it’s a celebration on the Indigenous, Inuit and Métis genocide,” Schrader said Tuesday. “My great grandfather was a survivor of the Residential school system. He was forced to attend the Spanish River Residential School. I don’t see what we have to celebrate when this country literally has the blood of Métis, Indigenous and Inuit communities on their hands.”
“My mum, half-brother and niece all bought orange shirts and we will all wear them on Canada Day. We do this to honour our ancestors and our cousins,” she continued.
When asked what a reformed Canada Day could look like, Pringle offered her own suggestion.
“There are other ways for us to celebrate it doesn't have to be Canada Day. I know in the United States for Columbus Day, they are changing it to Indigenous Peoples’ Day so maybe Canada Day becomes our Indigenous Peoples Day.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.