Another community is cancelling Canada Day plans this year.
The Council of the Village of Alert Bay says they feel it ‘appropriate’ to cancel July 1st celebrations, “in light of the recent events unfolding at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, and the discovery of the undocumented 215 children buried there.”
“In lieu of a Canada Day Celebration, you may choose your own way of ‘honouring these children’; their families; and their communities,” read a letter signed by mayor Dennis Buchanan, and councillors Lisanne Granger, Kane Gordon, Sandra McGregor, and Larry Hill.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the Canadian indigenous communities,” they add.
RELATED: Port Hardy cancels Canada Day celebrations following Kamloops discovery
Port Hardy council has also voted in favour of their local Chamber of Commerce’s plans to scrap any planned July 1st celebration.
While Chamber executive director Elizabeth Aman Hume wrote to council stating her team was well into planning for the big day, they now believe holding any event wouldn’t be ‘appropriate or respectful’.
The B.C. Indian Residential School Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-588-8717 or online at kuu-uscrisisline.com – if you or someone you know may be in need of somebody to talk to.
