The MP for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, Georgina Jolibois, laid out her plan for making Indigenous Peoples Day a national holiday in a Facebook Live broadcast today.
A bill to make the day a statutory holiday is being championed on Parliament Hill by Jolibois, a member of the federal NDP.
“A national Indigenous Peoples Day will serve as a day of reflection and remembrance for us all to consider the history and roles of Indigenous peoples in Canadian culture today and in the future,” said Jolibois. “Passing the bill will allow a national opportunity for Canadians to celebrate Indigenous culture and to honour and reflect on treaty relationships, and other nation-to-nation agreements.”
An online petition calling for the recognition of the holiday is also being run by Jolibois and can be found on her Facebook page.
Jolibois’ bill will be read and debated tomorrow in Ottawa before being scheduled for a vote within the next 30 days.
If the bill should pass through the House of Commons and the Senate, the holiday would be celebrated each year on June 21.
(PHOTO: Georgina Jolibois. Photo courtesy of Facebook.)