June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada with National Indigenous Peoples Day taking place on June 21st.
This month and beyond, in alignment with the CES Commitment to Advancing Reconciliation and Indigenous Sovereignty, you are encouraged to learn about and honour the history and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada, or of the Indigenous Peoples where you live and work around the world.
Explore if there are local events to join where you are, such as the events listed on the Celebrate Canada map.
In addition, here are some example resources to consider for ongoing learning:
Background:
The 25th Governor General of Canada declared June 21st “National Aboriginal Day”, now Indigenous Peoples Day, to recognize the positive contribution of Indigenous Peoples in Canada as a result of calls led by various Indigenous groups.
This includes efforts by Red Sucker Lake Cree leader and politician Elijah Harper who convened the 1995 Sacred Assembly, bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders, public figures, and diverse community members on Treaty 1 Territory in Winnipeg to live up to a vision of reconciliation in Canada with spiritual grounding, truth-telling and relational accountability.