This Friday marks Canada Day – a day that looks different now than it used to. While Canada Day is still a day to celebrate this country, its communities, people, and accomplishments on the world stage, it is also a day to reflect on Canada’s Indigenous Peoples and the celebration of their history. The birthday of Canada, as we know it today, and the beginning of Indigenous life in this land are two separate elements. For much of Canadian history, the celebration of Indigenous history, culture, and communities have not been a focal point of Canada Day. Today, Canada Day includes celebrations across the country to mark each of these histories. With that in mind, Canada’s Building Trades Unions are taking the opportunity today to reflect on the meaning of Canada Day and the celebration of the history of this land and its people.
However you choose to mark the day, I would encourage you to do it safely, respectfully, and with care and kindness at the centre of the day.
-Sean Strickland, Executive Director, Canada’s Building Trades Unions
