Cancel Canada Day?

Canada Day is just around the corner. It’s a celebration of the beginning of our Nation. Barbecues, parties, fireworks are all part of the tradition. But in light of the discovery of 215 bodies at a residential school in Kamloops and now 751 in Saskatchewan, for some people, there is nothing to be proud of or to celebrate.

The residential school system in Canada is one of the dark moments in our history. Between the government and predominantly the Catholic Church, the aim was assimilation. While tragic and deplorable, many countries have an inconvenient past. Does that mean you can’t celebrate the positive despite the negative?

The hashtag “cancelCanadaDay” has been picking up steam. Several communities are scrubbing their plans for July 1st. Should the holiday be cancelled?

Victoria, Penticton and Port Hardy have pulled the plug for this year. Kelowna and Belleville Ontario have also pressed pause. Several communities in New Brunswick are backing off plans for July 1st.

Our Unpublished.vote question asks:

Do you feel Canada Day celebrations should be cancelled in light of the discoveries in Kamloops and Saskatchewan?

• Yes 
• No
• Unsure

You can log on and vote anytime at Unpublished.vote and email your MP to tell them why you think what you do.