Mayor Nenshi says Canada has 'a lot to atone for,' but shouldn't impact July 1
While some communities are deciding to pack up their plans for a Canada Day celebration to respect reconciliation, Calgary's mayor says the event will go ahead.
However, it is not known exactly what form the city's July 1 celebration will take.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi made the comments while speaking to reporters on Friday afternoon, saying that he knows Canada has "a lot to atone for" in relation to the residential school program, but that shouldn't affect celebrating the nation's birth.
"I remain deeply committed to the idea of this country as a place where every single person can live with dignity and a life of opportunity," he said.
Nenshi says that is what Canada Day is for – celebrating that fact among your fellow Canadians.
"Every year at Canada Day, I spend time in a grand entry for a massive powwow at Prince's Island Park where Indigenous people come and have a great powwow and non-Indigenous people learn about the culture."
That inclusion of First Nations culture in the event is "exactly the right thing to do," Nenshi says.
"There is a lot to celebrate and if we can change that to not just a celebration but to a commitment to change, I think that's a lot better than saying, 'No fireworks because bad things have happened.'"
Last week, the City of Victoria announced it was postponing its Canada Day festivities in light of the discovery of the remains of hundreds of children who attended a former residential school near Kamloops, B.C.
Lisa Helps, Victoria's mayor, said "everybody is reeling" from the situation.
Instead, it would be broadcasting a feature on Canadian history with a focus on First Nations people.
Meanwhile, B.C. Premier John Horgan advised against other centres cancelling festivities, pointing instead to June 21, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day, as a better date to reflect on the wrongdoings of the past.
There are no details on when Calgary's announcement will be made this week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.