First Nations ‘deeply concerned’ B.C. has not designated Sept. 30 as stat holiday

The First Nations Leadership Council in B.C. says it is “deeply concerned” that the province has not designated Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a statutory holiday.

The leadership council says the province has failed to mark the day which honour the “profound horrors of residential schools, and the enduring needs for healing and honour of survivors, commemoration and widespread public education.”

In a statement Friday, the council says the ongoing recoveries of missing and unidentified graves at former Residential School sites across the country have helped to bring attention to the trauma, violence and abuse perpetrated against Indigenous children.

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“The Province of B.C. committed to engage residential school survivors and Indigenous partners and communities on designating the NDTR as a statutory holiday, and how September 30th should be observed each year in BC,” the council said. “As directed by First Nations leadership in BC through resolutions, the FNLC calls on BC to honour that commitment and carry out the crucial work of creating a new provincial statutory holiday in BC and to fully resource Indigenous healing supports and the creation of Indigenous-led education materials in the public sector and education institutions in alignment with their obligations under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.”

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, UBCIC president, wrote in the statement that the passing of Queen Elizabeth II prompted a provincial memorial holiday, “despite her being the head of the colonial institution that spearheaded and perpetuated the continued oppression, subjugation, forced assimilation and genocide of Indigenous people in these lands.”

“The fact that B.C. has not afforded Indigenous people the same dignity and time for reflection and healing on September 30th is unconscionable,” Phillip said. “One day a year for Truth and Reconciliation is a bare minimum for the thousands of lives that were lost or have been impacted by residential and day schools, and the continued delay and denial for survivors’ healing demonstrates the lasting inequity and blatant racism in this province.”

The call from the council comes as the majority of provinces across Canada have not followed the federal government’s move to make it a statutory holiday for its workers.

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have declared Sept. 30 a statutory holiday.

The other provinces and territories are choosing to observe the day in various ways, while some continue consultations with Indigenous groups and businesses about whether to make it a stat.

The day, originally known as Orange Shirt Day, was established in honour of the experience of Phyllis Webstad, whose gift of clothing from her grandmother was taken away on Webstad’s first day at a residential school.