June 15, 2018 - June 21st is National Indigenous Day. Local 1944 invites all our members to recognize and celebrate the heritage and culture of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in our communities.
"On June 21, as we should do so on any other day, we acknowledge that many of our workplaces are located on Indigenous land," said Lee Riggs, President of USW Local 1944. "National Indigenous Day is also an opportunity to reflect on the dark legacy of residential schools and to honour the survivors. Our duty, as a union, is to advance our members' rights, inside and outside of the workplace. On National Indigenous Day, let's renew our commitment to pressure our governments for overdue equitable policies favourable to our Indigenous communities."
"Government data is incomplete or inaccurate when it comes to the education, health and economic-development programs that should be closing the gap between on-reserve Indigenous people and the rest of Canada," said USW District 6 Director Marty Warren. "And the data we do have, comparing government spending on Indigenous and non-Indigenous children's education and health programs, shows that the federal government is treating Indigenous children on reserves like second- or third-class citizens."
2018 Events for National Indigenous Day
Many events and ceremonies are being organized across Canada to celebrate the contributions by Indigenous people to our country and communities. The list below is non-exhaustive. You can also find more events on the Canadian Heritage web page.
Alberta
June 21, 11:00 am - 8:00 pm, Edmonton: Edmonton's Indigenous Peoples Festival
June 21, 10:00 am -1:00 pm, Bonnyville: National Indigenous People's Day Celebration
June 21, St Paul: Building Bridges: The Rainbow Connection
June 21, Banff: National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Whitecourt: National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21, 11:00 am - 11:00 pm, Canmore: National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 24, 12:45 pm - 4:30 pm, St Albert: St. Albert National Aboriginal Day Festival
British Columbia
June 15-17, Williams Lake: Chief William Fathers Day Pow Wow
June 21, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, Victoria: Royal Roads University
June 21, 11:00 am - 4:30 pm, Penticton: Indigenous Day Pow Wow
June 21, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Kelowna: National Aboriginal Day Celebration
June 21, 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Chase: Quaaout Lodge
June 21-23, Victoria: Victoria Indigenous Cultural Festival 2018
June 23, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Fort Langley: Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada
Ontario
June 17, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, Ottawa: 2018 Aboriginal Day Parade
June 17, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Milton: National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
June 21, 5:45 am - 9:00 pm, Thunder Bay: National Aboriginal Day Thunder Bay
June 21, 8:00 am - 9:00 pm, Kenora: National Indigenous People's Day Kenora 2018
June 21, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Pukaskwa National Park: Pukaskwa National Park NIPD celebration
June 21, Midland: National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21-24, Ottawa: Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival
June 21-24, Toronto: Indigenous Arts Festival
Québec
June 21, 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site: National Aboriginal Day
"Steelworkers are Indigenous people," stated USW National Director for Canada Ken Neumann. "Steelworkers work in and with Indigenous communities. Our union thrives when all peoples and communities thrive."
In Solidarity,
USW Local 1944
