As Canada Day gets closer, there are more appeals to call off the event. This is because numerous mass graves, holding the remains of residential school victims, were discovered recently.
Many across the country have already begun planning to march in the streets whereas flags are set to be flown at half-mast.
The director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, Nakuset, explained how this recent discovery has really hit close to home, both for the indigenous and non-indigenous communities.
Nakuset is also the individual, who’s been tasked with planning the city’s march. The march is scheduled to kick off from Jeanne-Mance Park at precisely 2 p.m. It will then continue on to Place du Canada, a place that had previously been home to a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald.
Macdonald was Canada’s first prime minister, although he also worked for the residential school system in the capacity of an architect. The statue was tipped over by protesters back in August.
Giving his remarks about the upcoming Canada Day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stated that the event should be used for commemoration and reflection as opposed to fireworks.
Interestingly, if you check Tourism Montreal’s site, you will see that fireworks in the Old Port remain an agenda for the event that will be held on July 1.
