Although the Alberta government “encouraged all Albertans to reflect on the legacy of boarding schools” on September 30, it left the implementation of statutory holidays to individual employers in the provincial-level regulated industry.
In June, Ottawa declared September 30th as National Day Truth and reconciliation — A federal statutory holiday designed to give civil servants a chance to know boarding school.
The paid leave assigned to federal employees also responded to one of the 94 calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Alberta’s Department of Indigenous Relations Press Secretary Adrienne South explained: “For provincially regulated industries, the issue of working holidays is the decision of the individual employer, unless the employee’s employment contract or collective bargaining agreement explicitly grants federally regulated leave.”
The province encourages reflection and will lower the flag of the Alberta government building on September 30, “to commemorate the lives lost in boarding schools, and a memorial ceremony will be held.”
“We must not limit our recognition of the boarding school heritage to one day. The Alberta government will work with the Aboriginal and Metis communities to establish a Permanent monument to the Alberta Legislature For the victims of the boarding school system,” Nan said.
She added that the province is “committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s provincial call for action, including helping Indigenous Albertans have restored their traditional aboriginal names. “
However, the Alberta Native Congress Association stated that the provincial government did not consider legislation to make September 30 a statutory holiday, which disturbed the provincial government.
“In recent days, there have been too many stories about the provincial government’s ignorance of the indigenous people and communities in the province, enough,” the regional director Marlene Poitras said at a press conference on Friday. .
“Why doesn’t the government stand up and acknowledge this day? This directly responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call for action to make more people aware of the struggles Canadian aborigines have experienced in dealing with colonization?
“This refusal to officially recognize the federal holiday in Alberta on September 30 runs counter to the reconciliation of the First Nations and shows contempt and lack of care or respect for the First Nations of Alberta.”
Poitras also pointed to the concerns raised by the natives of Alberta regarding the inability to fully participate in the referendum and that the Senate vote was included in the October 19 municipal elections.
“I was also told that the government has not taken any measures to ensure that the indigenous people can effectively participate in the referendum on daylight saving time and the equilibrium formula during the upcoming municipal elections.
“Although US$10 million has been remitted to municipalities to support easy voting on these projects, no booths have been set up in the country. These countries are not municipalities and do not follow the same election rotation system as other communities.
“On the contrary, we were told:’Drive to the nearest community.’ For some countries in Alberta, this is a one-way trek of more than 100 kilometers. For others, they are flying communities without any The choice to participate in the democratic process.”
Poitras said this sends a message to the indigenous people that their voice is not important.
“I call on the Alberta government to immediately correct these actions, set up polling stations for the reserved referendum projects, and recognize that September 30, 2021 is the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.”
The Alberta Department of Elections and Municipal Affairs confirmed on Thursday that some people will have to go to nearby municipalities or vote by mail to participate.
“Not every community holds elections this fall; there will be no municipal elections on the Alberta side of Summer Villages, Improvement Districts, Special Areas, Aboriginals, and Lloydminster in October this year,” the Minister of Municipal Affairs said Man Mark Jacka told Global News.
“In order to ensure easy-to-access voting information and easy access to voting opportunities, the cooperative community will provide indigenous residents with election notices and information needed for voting.”
this The Alberta Employees Union (AUPE) stated on August 25 that it was filing a formal policy complaint Opposing employers, including Alberta Health Services (AHS), refused to recognize the newly established National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
The union stated that although “collective agreements force employers to recognize the holidays created by the federal government”, some employers “do not respect the new holidays”.
Alberta pledges $8 million to help Aboriginal people find and commemorate graves in boarding schools
However, an AHS spokesperson told Global News that as part of a collective bargaining agreement with union employees, health agencies “may or may not be obliged to recognize new federally regulated holidays.”
Kerry Williamson said that this issue is being reviewed.
“AHS has been working with stakeholders including the Wisdom Committee to study how to best understand this day in a meaningful way, and is planning.
“For many years, AHS has recognized September 30 as Orange Shirt Day,” Williamson said.
At the same time, Saskatchewan has not declared September 30 as a provincial holiday, but it is the same day as the provincial announcement. Orange shirt day — A day when people commemorate the boarding school survivor Phyllis Webstad, who was taken away from the orange shirt on the first day of school.
A spokesperson for the Saskatchewan government said: “We continue to declare September 30 as Orange Shirt Day and regard it as an important anniversary to commemorate those who have suffered injuries and those who lost their lives in boarding schools.”
Employees still need to go to work that day, but all provincial government buildings will be lowered to half-mast.
Similarly, in schools in Saskatchewan, faculty, staff and students will be in class on September 30.
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