“As
the longest day of the year, the summer solstice has held deep cultural,
historical, and spiritual significance for many Indigenous peoples and
communities for generations. And it was 25 years ago that the Government of
Canada joined Indigenous organizations in choosing June 21 to celebrate
National Indigenous Peoples Day.
“While
today is a time to celebrate Indigenous peoples from coast to coast to coast,
it is also an opportunity to acknowledge that there is much more work to do on
the important journey to reconciliation. The recent tragic findings of remains
near the former Kamloops Residential School serve as a stark reminder of the
systemic oppression, inequalities, and discrimination that Indigenous peoples
have endured over the past years, decades, and centuries, and the injustices
and challenges they continue to face today.
“Under
the residential school system, at least 150,000 Indigenous children were
forcibly separated from parents and communities, and carried off to places
where their languages and culture were prohibited in an attempt to
intentionally eliminate them. These children suffered emotional, physical, and
sexual abuse. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also reported that
thousands of children who were sent to these schools never returned home. The
exact number of children who died may never be known and, devastatingly, many
parents never found out what happened to their children. This intergenerational
trauma experienced by families continues to today and we must continue to ensure
that the necessary supports
for those who have been retraumatized by the recent events are provided. We
must never forget those innocent souls lost – this must be our collective
commitment toward reconciliation.
“The
Government of Canada continues to call on the Catholic Church to issue a formal
apology to Indigenous peoples impacted by the residential school system. Taking
responsibility is one of the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission, and is an essential step to advancing truth and reconciliation in
Canada.
“We
must also acknowledge, honour, and respect those who have passed. We recently
made the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, a federal
holiday. The goal is to encourage Canadians to learn about and reflect on our
country’s history and present day truths, as well as to commemorate the survivors,
their families, and their communities – as called for by the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission and Indigenous leaders.
“Saying
sorry for these tragedies is not enough. We need to right past wrongs and
address ongoing challenges, and we can only accomplish this with action. That
is why the Government of Canada has been working in partnership with Indigenous
peoples, provinces, and territories to implement the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission’s Calls to Action. Seventy-six of the report’s 94 Calls to Action
fall under the sole or shared responsibility of the federal government and over
80 per cent of them have been completed or are well underway, and it is our
priority to complete those Calls to Action.
“On
June 3, two years after the release of Reclaiming
Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Government of Canada
released the Federal Pathway. This is the government’s contribution to the 2021 National Action Plan: Ending Violence
Against Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People. Budget 2021
also proposes
historic investments that will support the implementation of the initiatives in
the Federal Pathway, create a safer future for Indigenous peoples, and
contribute to ending this national tragedy.
“It
is the responsibility of the Government of Canada to make significant change
within our federal institutions. We must continue to review our laws and
policies to see how we can improve outcomes for Indigenous peoples and for all
Canadians, and rebuild or develop laws and policies accordingly in partnership
with Indigenous peoples.
“We
are putting those words into action. Today, the Parliament will pass
legislation to advance the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous leaders, the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission, and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women and Girls have all said that the Declaration is a roadmap for
the federal government to work in partnership with Indigenous peoples to
advance reconciliation. This new law is a historic step toward fully
recognizing, respecting, and protecting the human rights of Indigenous peoples.
By implementing the Declaration, we are advancing social and economic equality,
promoting economic participation, and protecting Indigenous governance and
laws, lands and territories, and cultures and languages.
“We’ve
also made real progress to address ongoing challenges and to close the gaps
that still exist for Indigenous peoples and communities. Through Jordan’s
Principle, the federal government is committed to providing First Nations
children living on and off reserve with equitable access to government-funded
public services. Since 2016, more than 911,000 products, services, and supports
were approved under Jordan's Principle. These included speech therapy,
educational supports, medical equipment, mental health services and more. We
also remain committed to working with our Indigenous partners to support
Indigenous students’ access to a safe and high-quality education that meets
their unique needs and helps them get the best start in life. And with the
support of the Government of Canada, First Nations communities have lifted more
than 100 long-term drinking water advisories. This progress is just a few
examples of what we have accomplished, but there’s much more to do.
“All
of us have a role to play in telling the truth of our past and addressing the
systemic injustices that Indigenous peoples and communities still face today.
The Government of Canada will continue to work to do better so Indigenous
peoples across this country feel safe and respected, and have a real and fair
chance at success. Only through concrete actions, and by working together, will
we build a better path forward.”
“On National Indigenous Peoples Day, we honour the leadership, resilience and strength of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples throughout British Columbia and across Canada. It is a day to recognize the immense contributions of Indigenous peoples to every facet of our province.
“As we honour and celebrate Indigenous communities today, we must also recognize the systemic racism, discrimination and intergenerational trauma Indigenous peoples have experienced and continue to experience. These harms are a daily, lived reality for Indigenous peoples.
“We acknowledge and share the grief with the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, and all residential school survivors and their families, as they mourn for their stolen children. We know there are many other sites throughout our province that are still the source of unanswered questions and unimaginable pain for Indigenous communities. We still have much work ahead of us.
“So, today on National Indigenous Peoples Day, we recognize that reconciliation is a hard and essential journey that we will make together. Our government recognizes the responsibility we have to advance reconciliation in partnership with Indigenous peoples, and we are walking this journey side by side.
“The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples remains a touchstone on our path forward together. Through B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, we are working closely with Indigenous peoples on a draft action plan to meet the objectives of the UN Declaration. The act sets us on a path that recognizes and respects Indigenous rights as human rights, creates more opportunities for people and communities, and commits our government – and future governments – to action on reconciliation, not just words.
“As we face our collective truth on the generational impacts of our colonial history, let us work together and take action, so we can better understand our shared history, accept and learn from it and work together to make things right. Together, we will continue to build a more equal and more inclusive British Columbia for generations to come.”
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