BCGEU celebrates National Aboriginal Day on June 21st – join us!

National Aboriginal Day was first proclaimed by the Canadian Parliament in 1996, and has since been celebrated annually coast to coast to coast. This year a lot has happened in terms of First Nations issues federally, provincially and within your union.

“There have been some considerable victories this year in terms of Aboriginal rights and title, but there is still so much to do,” says BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. “We celebrate and honour Indigenous people, cultures and nations across Canada today and everyday.  We also wish to express our continued support and solidarity in their struggle for social and political justice”.

Here’s a brief overview of this year’s most significant events:

Since  elected in 2014 the union’s Aboriginal representatives on the Equity and Human Rights committee, April Duffield and Greg George, along with our Aboriginal Liaison and our Equity and Human Rights officer, have been working hard at a number of initiatives to increase your union’s support for Aboriginal peoples in our province and across our country.

Here are some items the BCGEU has been working on this year:

These are some of the focus areas for our support of Aboriginal peoples in BC. It is our goal to continue building your union’s relationship with Aboriginal organizations and their communities.

We were extremely proud to have April and Greg attend the closing ceremonies for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Ottawa on behalf of the BCGEU.

“I found the experience in Ottawa to be quite overwhelming emotionally and very inspiring”, says April. “I talked to many people and heard many survivor stories”. Please read their report here.

The BCGEU reaffirms its calls for a national inquiry into murdered and missing Aboriginal girls and women, and calls for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations to be implemented.

This June 21st, National Aboriginal Day, we urge all BCGEU members and staff to learn about BC Aboriginal history and reflect on how we can support Aboriginal communities and members in their quest for dignity and justice in our union, workplaces and society.

Every day is Aboriginal Day!

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