National Indigenous Peoples Day
On Sunday, June 21, 2020, I invite you to join in recognizing National Indigenous Peoples Day honouring First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. At Capilano University we celebrate this day with open hearts and steps of reconciliation in order that we can do better and we can be better.
COVID-19 has shifted National Indigenous Peoples Day from community gatherings to televised and online events. This opens new opportunities to learn about Indigenous cultures across Canada.
As an example, the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is now a virtual event with a social distance PowWow. Learn PowWow dancing and explore the other Indigenous culture resources listed on the Capilano University website.
Like dance, language is vital to culture. We celebrate the fact that Sunday also marks the first anniversary of the passing of the Indigenous Languages Act as well as the Child Welfare Act – two significant pieces of federal legislation for Indigenous Peoples. The Languages Act (Bill-C91) represents reconciliation in action, giving weight to Canada’s commitment to revitalize and strengthen Indigenous languages in Canada. The Child Welfare Act (Bill C-92) is the federal government’s first step in legislating on Indigenous child welfare. It formally recognizes Indigenous People’s jurisdiction over child and family services as an inherent right to self-governance.
We also recognize this celebration day comes at a time when events in Canada and the United States are generating unprecedented attention towards painful historical patterns and calls for change. With this awareness of injustice comes hope for a better future. As we await government response to the federal report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and national steps towards enacting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into Canadian law, Capilano University stands with Indigenous People by adding our voice to the call for progress in 2020.
Sincerely,
Paul Dangerfield
President
Submitted by: Communications