Province says not today to Orange Shirt Day stat bill

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This article was published 28/09/2022 (773 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government has voted against a private member’s bill declaring Sept. 30 a provincial statutory holiday, saying it needs more time and consultation to get it right.

“There certainly is disagreement among everyone we’re consulting with about what the details should be,” Labour Minister Reg Helwer told reporters after question period Thursday. “We’re trying to find the common ground (and) to present that to Manitobans.”

In 2021, Ottawa proclaimed Sept. 30 the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (also known as Orange Shirt Day, to recognize the impact of the residential school system) and made it a statutory holiday for federal workers.

After they dismissed the bill introduced by New Democrat MLA Ian Bushie (Keewatinook) seeking to do the same for Manitoba, the Progressive Conservative majority, including Premier Heather Stefanson, were chided Thursday for joining MLAs who supported the Orange Shirt Day bill in wearing orange shirts.

“I wonder why the premier wears an orange shirt?” NDP Leader Wab Kinew told the house. “Specifically why, when she voted against making Orange Shirt Day a provincial statutory holiday, earlier today? Presumably, the premier has some desire to honour residential school survivors.”

Kinew said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called years ago for the acknowledgment of a day to honour residential school survivors and reflect on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

The consensus among Indigenous, business and labour leaders and most Manitobans is Sept. 30 should be recognized as a provincial stat, the NDP leader added. “To ignore that consensus seems to be an echo of that attitude where ‘government knows best.’”

Helwer told reporters after question period the government is consulting with Indigenous leaders and others about what they want the potential stat holiday to look like — in terms of what should be opened or closed and if hours should be limited — and there hasn’t been a consensus.

“When I started to look at drafting legislation for this last year, questions were coming to me about how that day would look without consultations,” the labour minister said.

“It is not appropriate that I am going to answer that question without consultation,” Helwer said. “Then we are just perpetuating the colonialism that this day addresses.”

Helwer described some of the differing views as coming from a “wide variety of industry.”

Some employers gave their staff Sept. 30 off last year to recognize National Truth and Reconciliation Day; not everyone embraced it, he said.

“If they were doing work on a First Nation, the call was from the First Nation chief saying, ‘Why aren’t your staff working here?’” Helwer said as an example.

“If this bill passed today, it would mean all those consultations were not necessary and it would be very difficult to have future consultations if I didn’t take those into account in legislation.”

One northern First Nations leader, who said his organization was consulted by the province about making Orange Shirt Day a stat holiday just once — in March — put the government on notice.

“The premier and ministers with whom I have worked have made it clear they wish to commit to a journey of reconciliation,” Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee said in a late Thursday news release.

“We will be watching to see whether their words match with their actions.”

During members statements in the house, the premier said her government is committed to reconciliation.

The government proclaimed this Truth and Reconciliation Week, to recognize the harmful legacy of residential and day schools and their traumatic impact on Indigenous people, Stefanson said. Memorial Park fountains are lit up in orange, flags are flown at half mast and she’s to attend a healing ceremony and survivors’ walk Friday.

“I hope every Manitoban takes time tomorrow and this week to learn about residential schools and the impact they had on Indigenous people,” the premier said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca