OMAZINIBII’IGEG (Indigenous Art Collective)
Current Reality
Statutory Holiday
Feb 9, 2023: BC designates Sept. 30 as a statutory holiday beginning in September, 2023. Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are all still opposed to designating Sept. 30 a statutory holiday. Yukon has also committed to designating Set. 30 a statutory holiday in 2023.
June 3, 2021: Bill C-5 “An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)” a bill that designates Sept. 30 as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation passed in the Senate and received Royal Assent.
National Monument
June 20,2023: In keeping with the spirit and intent of Call to Action #81 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Survivor-led Steering Committee announced today that the Residential Schools National Monument will be installed on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa. The site, near West Block, was blessed by Elders during a special ceremony.
August 11, 2021: The federal government committed $20M to build a national monument in Ottawa to honour the survivors of residential schools and all the children who were lost.
Provincial Monuments
Nov. 16, 2020: Canadian Press – Stephanie Scott, director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, speaking to the House of Commons heritage committee stated “Ottawa and provincial and territorial governments must build monuments in capital cities across Canada to honour residential-school survivors and their families.”
For Call to Action # 82 “Commission and install a Residential School Monument in each capital city”, only Winnipeg, Edmonton, Whitehorse, Toronto and Regina have initiated any plans or made any commitments.