Mike Edwards came to the event with his family, all dressed in orange shirts – the color associated with honoring the survivors and families of indigenous people who were forced to attend residential schools. He said he liked the new direction the national historic site took to include more elements of Native culture in its July 1 celebrations this year. “While Canada is where I live, I think there are things that need to be recognized about Canadian history. And I think it’s important to recognize the history of Canada’s relationship with aboriginal people,” he said. Edwards, who is not Indigenous, said he believes there is a way to balance Canada Day celebrations with reflections on the country’s history. “But I think after so many years of celebrating the traditional Canada Day … it’s important to tip the scale the other way,” he said. The national historic site — where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet, and which has been an important gathering place for thousands of years — announced two weeks ago that after months of Native-led discussions with community members, newcomers and youth, it has decided to redevelop what the usual 1st of July events would be like. The debate follows last year’s discoveries of what are believed to be hundreds of unmarked graves in residential school grounds across the country. These findings have led many to opt out of celebrating Canada Day in 2021 and instead spend the day honoring the thousands of children forced into institutions. Clare MacKay, executive director of The Forks, said the site wanted to offer people a variety of experiences this year, ranging from quiet places for reflection to places to gather and celebrate, as it looked to rethink July 1 events. Clare MacKay, The Forks’ executive director, says the site will offer its annual feedback survey at the end of the month and will specifically ask people what they think of the redesigned Canada Day celebrations. (Travis Golby/CBC) “Canada Day is Canada Day. And we wanted to make sure that we could show that we did things differently, that we consulted with our communities, particularly Indigenous people, newcomers and youth,” McKay said. . “That’s really our intention for this whole day, is to bring everyone from our city here to learn from each other, to come together, to move forward together.”
Newcomer excited to celebrate 1st Canada Day
MacKay said she hopes The Forks can build on this year’s work to build an even stronger program for July 1 next year. That might include fireworks, which were scrapped this year mostly because of timing issues: programming ends at 6 p.m. But the site will also look at the environmental and other impacts of the loud displays before offering fireworks again, he said. Forks will offer its annual community feedback survey at the end of the month. This year, he will specifically ask people what they think of the redesigned Canada Day celebrations. Among those attending Friday’s event was Camilo Nirvaz, who came to Canada from Colombia with his wife and dog two months ago. Nirvaz said he was excited to celebrate his first Canada Day by celebrating his new country and learning about its past and indigenous cultures. “I’m going to learn about the many traditions of Canada. The history is so important, because when you bring in the history, the customs, you’re going to learn about the Canadian steps,” he said. Friday’s event at The Forks had spaces for both quiet reflection and celebration. (Sam Samson/CBC) The day’s activities included classes on how to make and offer smoke ties at a campfire, facilitated by Nathan Ertel and Shawn Thomas, from the St. Mary’s Outreach Program; Boniface Street Links. Thomas, who is from the Peguis First Nation, said he is learning more about Canada’s residential school system recently and hopes others will spend some time on July 1 doing the same. “It’s important now that people understand what’s going on,” he said. Ertel, who is not Indigenous, said he hopes people think about the different options they have for celebrating Canada Day. “You can either celebrate it or remember it [parts of Canada’s history]or you could do both,” he said. “It’s up to you to decide.” Charles Woolford, who hails from the Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation, was among the firefighters tending to the fire at The Forks on Friday. Woolford, 25, said it was an honor to do this work, especially when it means sharing traditions with the younger generation or with people who have lost touch with their culture. “It’s important for First Nations to relearn our traditions and ceremonies,” he said. “We have to think about our little ones, because they don’t know how to do that.”
“It’s not political,” says the Assiniboia Downs participant
Karen Suderman said she would normally attend the Canada Day celebrations in The Forks, but instead attended the festivities at Assiniboia Downs on Friday. Suderman, who is Métis, does not agree with the redesign of Canada Day events at The Forks. “To each his own,” he said. “It’s kind of sad that you’re making it political, because it’s not political. It’s Canada Day.” Karen Suderman said she would normally go to the Canada Day events at The Forks, but chose to celebrate this year at Assiniboia Downs. (Travis Golby/CBC) Michelle Huot, who was also at Assiniboia Downs Friday, said she was conflicted about how to celebrate Canada’s birthday with her young family. “I want to celebrate … but we have such a complicated history,” she said, adding that she tries to balance celebration with reflection. “I think you can do both.”
