Provinces react differently to first Day for Truth and Reconciliation

By Janet E Silver. Published on Sep 29, 2021 5:47pm

Provincial and territorial flags fly in downtown Ottawa on Jan. 3, 2020. (Jolson Lim/iPolitics)

On Thursday, Canadians will mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour and remember both the survivors of residential schools and those who didn’t survive them.

The federal statutory holiday became official in June as a result of Call to Action No. 80 in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)’s final report in December 2015. The TRC issued 94 such calls to redress the harms caused by the residential-school system and to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

The new holiday coincides with Orange Shirt Day, whereby Canadians are encouraged to wear orange shirts to honour Indigenous people who attended residential schools.

Although the federal government has designated Sept. 30 a federal statutory holiday, not all provinces will close their provincial legislatures, schools, and some public services.

British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island are closing some of the above, while Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick are not. Instead, the latter are encouraging residents to take time in their day to reflect on truth and reconciliation.

Alberta Minister of Indigenous Relations Rick Wilson will mark the day by hosting an outdoor ceremony with Indigenous elders and community leaders, said Adrienne South, Wilson’s press secretary, in an email to iPolitics.

“For provincially regulated industries, … a work holiday is a decision for individual employers, unless an employee’s employment contract or collective-bargaining agreement specifically grants federally regulated holidays.”

The Alberta government has fulfilled 21 of the TRC’s 29 Calls to Action that fall under provincial responsibility, and is committed to implementing the rest, South added.

Ottawa was right to create the holiday, but Saskatchewan won’t be adopting it, said Matthew Glover, the provincial government’s manager of media relations.

“Saskatchewan currently offers 10 statutory holidays, which is the most among the provinces, and there are no plans at this time to create additional statutory holidays,” he said.

Ontario is treating the day as it does Remembrance Day, and will work with Indigenous partners, survivors, and family members to commemorate it.

“(Though) not a provincial public holiday this year, employers and employees may agree to treat this day as such,” said Curtis Lindsay, a spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford.

Quebec’s and New Brunswick’s plans are similar to Ontario’s.