After calling on the provincial and federal governments to mandate Truth and Reconciliation Day as a statutory holiday for all workers, the UFCW 1518 Indigenous Committee received support from BC Members of the Legislative Assembly.

In January, the UFCW 1518 Indigenous Committee sent a letter to BC Premier John Horgan, Yukon Premier Sandy Silver, BC Members of the Legislative Assembly, BC Members of Parliament and Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller, asking them to mandate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday by September 30, 2022.

To amplify the Committee’s voice, over 540 UFCW 1518 members signed the petition to put pressure on the BC government to take this critical step.

In an email response, MLA Aman Singh stated, “It is my pleasure to fully support and work to achieve a lawful/paid statutory holiday in Canada.” MLA Brittny Anderson also responded in support and stated that she agrees Truth and Reconciliation Day should be a statutory holiday and she will advocate for it.

In a letter sent from the Office of the Yukon Premier, Premier Sandy Silver confirmed that they will be reaching out to the Yukon First Nations governments and the public to seek input on whether the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation should become a general holiday for all employees in the Yukon.

The UFCW 1518 Indigenous Committee is awaiting an official response from the BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation after the letter was forwarded to them by the Office of the BC Premier for follow up.

As the union and the Committee await these additional responses, we will continue to advocate for this important issue. UFCW 1518’s goal is to make sure that every worker will get the opportunity to take time to reflect on the legacy of colonialism. Additionally, we believe that every Indigenous person should have the chance to mark the day properly and take the time to heal and address the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harms caused by residential schools with their families and communities.

If you want to join and take action on this important initiative, you can sign the petition by clicking here.