National Indigenous Peoples Day (; formerly National Aboriginal Day) is a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Indigenous peoples of Canada.

The day was first celebrated in 1996, after it was proclaimed that year by then Governor General of Canada Roméo LeBlanc, to be celebrated annually on 21 June. This date was chosen as the statutory holiday for many reasons, including its cultural significance as the Summer solstice, and the fact that it is a day on which many Indigenous peoples and communities traditionally celebrate their heritage. A proposal to rename the day National Indigenous Peoples Day was made in 2017. The bill to make that change (C-369) was still being debated by parliament when the legislature was dissolved. The federal Crown has begun referring to the day as National Indigenous Peoples Day, regardless.

This day has been celebrated as a statutory territorial holiday in the Northwest Territories since 2001 and in Yukon since 2017. It is not however, currently considered a statutory holiday across the rest of the country.

History

The day came about after a series of calls for such a celebration.

It was first self-declared Indian Day in 1945, by Jules Sioui and chiefs from across North America.

In 1982, the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) called for the creation of a National Aboriginal Solidarity Day to be celebrated on 21 June. In 2009, the House of Commons declared June to be National Aboriginal History Month (now National Indigenous History Month).

On 21 June 2017, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement pledging to rename the event National Indigenous Peoples Day. The private member's bill that would have effected the change in name (Bill C-369) reached first reading in the Senate,

See also

  • Treaty Day (Nova Scotia)
  • International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

References

  • Government of Canada website
  • DAAIR