'Tell the full story': How some local communities are reimagining Canada Day celebrations
Communities in Waterloo region are reimagining Canada Day to be more inclusive and to honour Indigenous peoples.
Organizers of Canada Day in Wilmot said they worked with local Indigenous leaders to develop the plan for their festivities this year.
The event will begin Friday morning at 6 a.m. with an Indigenous sunrise ceremony led by an Indigenous Elder. In the afternoon, at the opening ceremonies, the national anthem will be sung in both English and Cree. In the evening, during the firework show, the creation story will be read out loud.
“We have Indigenous-focused in the morning, in the middle, and at the end of the day,” said event organizer Angie Hallman, explaining the structure is like the Métis infinity symbol.
Hallman said it’s important to honour Indigenous peoples.
“We can’t do reconciliation without truth, so [we’re] going forward together and choosing whatever Canada feels like to you, we encourage people to just come as you are and let go forward together. ”
WATERLOO PLANS EVOLVE
In Waterloo, the city will be hosting its first in-person Canada Day celebration.
Usually, the University of Waterloo puts on the Canada Day event at Columbia Lake, but the university is longer hosting.
The City of Waterloo said to differentiate itself from UW’s event, it is not calling the celebration Canada Day, but instead the July 1 Community Picnic.
Festivities will take place at Waterloo Park, where there will be live music from local artists, food, games, and a LED light show to end the night.
The city said it wants to be more mindful of Canada’s history, which is why an Indigenous art installation, called Hope and Healing Canada, will also be on-site.
“It uses large knit and crochet pieces to illustrate the connection between people and their environment, and to promote dialogue, questioning the connection between Indigenous, Inuit, Metis and settlers,” said Lakyn Barton, festival and events specialist with City of Waterloo. “You can look through and see the sky and it’s about changing the lens in which you’re viewing the land.”
Barton said it’s important to understand that Canada Day is not a celebration for everyone.
“To be respectful and to honour that pain,” she said. “So we’re trying to shift our event to talk more about what do we have locally and how do we propel these conversations forward.”
RECOGNIZING 'SHORTCOMINGS'
The Anishinabek Nation, a political body that represents First Nations across Ontario, said it encourages Canadians to reflect on the history of the country.
Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe said Canada Day is often a somber day for Indigenous people, as it brings up the dark history.
“The Indigenous history, it’s been erased for so long, or forgotten for so long, or suppressed for so long. It’s important now to have that included to tell the story of Canada and tell the true story of Canada,” he said. “That’s the only way we can progress together in reconciliation. If there is true reconciliation, then we do need to recognize the shortcomings that exist now and have existed in the past.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.