TORONTO – The Minister and Deputy Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation issued the following statement to mark Canada’s 21st National Aboriginal Day:
“Today, on National Aboriginal Day, we celebrate and recognize the accomplishments, contributions and resilience of Indigenous people across Ontario. Despite so much adversity, they continue to inspire us to be a more inclusive and just society.
Celebrating National Aboriginal Day in the same year as Canada’s 150th anniversary is a stark reminder that Canadian history has not always been favourable to Indigenous peoples.
We, the people of Ontario, must do better to understand their experiences and perspectives, both past and present, if we are to truly embrace reconciliation and make things right over the next 150 years.”
