OTTAWA, July 2. / TASS /. Canadians celebrated the main holiday – Canada Day. For the second year in a row, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, large-scale festivities are not organized in the country. In addition, this year, the people of the North American country celebrated the national holiday with flags at half mast amid the discovery of more than 1,000 graves on the grounds of former schools for Aboriginal children in Canada.
The situation with the former boarding schools
“As people across the country continue to remember Indigenous children whose lives ended too soon and as we reflect on the residential school tragedy, I asked that [государственный] Peace Tower Flag [доминанта комплекса зданий парламента страны в Оттаве] stayed low on Canada Day, ”Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the eve of the holidays. Also on July 1, flags were lowered on all government buildings.
On Canada Day, in his traditional speech to the nation, the Prime Minister congratulated his compatriots on the holiday, but admitted that “this day is not a celebration for everyone”. “The gruesome remains of hundreds of children in former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan have made us wonder about the historic setbacks of our country and the injustices that still exist against Indigenous peoples and more. [меньшинствам] in Canada, ”he said. Trudeau urged compatriots to reflect on the injustice that has been part of the country’s history, in order to correct it in the present and prevent it in the future.
Since the end of May, 1,148 anonymous miners’ graves have been discovered in Canada in three former Indian children’s residential schools. This news shocked the Canadian public, who demanded that authorities conduct similar excavations on the territories of all the former educational institutions for Indigenous peoples that operated from the late 19th century until 1996. Appeals have been made Also launched for the Roman Catholic Church to publish documents that would uncover such burials and other documents on resident schools.
Orange T-shirts
According to tradition, for the holiday, Canadians dress in red and white clothes, put on extravagant hats and costumes, wave national flags. Many have donned orange T-shirts this year instead of the traditional red and white colors to support the indigenous peoples of the country who suffered during the years of the so-called resident schools. Also in Ottawa and other cities across the country, rallies were held in support of the Aborigines and their culture. “This is a pan-Canadian action, Lighting the Fires of Hope, which should draw the attention of as many Canadians as possible to the issue of former school residents and the children of Indigenous peoples across the country who live there. studied. not pretend that nothing happened. This tragedy is part of Canadian history and lessons must be learned, ”one of the participants in such an action, which takes place in front of the buildings of the national parliament, told TASS.
The holidays have taken place
The story of the mass grave discovery has forced part of Canadian society to abandon the celebration of Canada Day this year, but, according to opinion polls, most Canadians don’t believe that because of it , it is necessary to cancel the main national holiday, because in the history of the country there is something to be proud of. “Many went to picnic in parks and beaches in the morning. The summer verandas of cafes and restaurants are filled with vacationers, which are already open to visitors, as the situation with the pandemic in the country improves. At noon, the traditional flight of the Canadian Air Force “Snegiri” aerobatic team took place above Ottawa.
Again, authorities won’t be launching large fireworks this year, but they have allowed Canadians to use fireworks themselves to celebrate Canada Day. For example, in Ottawa, according to a TASS correspondent, “home fireworks” began to sound as early as Wednesday evening.
On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act, signed by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, came into force, declaring Canada a bilingual dominion of the British Empire. . In 1879, this solemn event began to be called Dominion Day, and in 1982, by decision of parliament, the holiday acquired its present name – Canada Day.
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