The city will instead work with First Nations on an alternative broadcast that will air later in the summer 'that explores what it means to be Canadian, in light of recent events.'
The City of Victoria has cancelled a planned online Canada Day presentation as the community grapples with the discovery of the remains of 215 children in unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The city will instead work with local First Nations to produce an alternative broadcast that will air later in the summer “that explores what it means to be Canadian, in light of recent events,” according to a City of Victoria media release.The decision came in a unanimous vote at Victoria city council Thursday.
It came after some Lekwungen First Nations people, who have long participated in the city’s Canada Day events, said they would not take part this year due to the pain and trauma of the discovery.Strong majority of Canadians support a national day of remembrance for residential school victims: survey Strong majority of Canadians support a national day of remembrance for residential school victims: survey
“It was difficult, much as reconciliation is difficult work and hard conversations and grappling with the realities of the colonial — and in some cases, genocidal — past of the country,” Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said of the decision.
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