Photo: Chelsea Powrie

Federal MP Richard Cannings, who represents the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding, spoke at length in parliament Monday in support of a private member's bill aiming to create a statutory holiday nationwide for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

In 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement announcing that June 21 would be known as National Indigenous Peoples Day. It was previously known as National Aboriginal Day, created in 1996, and was intended to celebrate the heritage of Indigenous Canadians. 

However, it is not a statutory holiday, but Bill-C369, brought forward by NDP member of parliament Georgina Jolibois of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River in Saskatchewan, aims to change that. 

During the bill's second reading Monday, Cannings spoke at length about why he has thrown his support behind the bill, referencing his upbringing on the boundary of the Penticton Indian Reserve and his continued residence on Okanagan Nation land. 

"I like to tell my friends from the Penticton Indian Band that I grew up on the res. However, I did not grow up on it like those people," he said.

"As I grew up, I knew nothing of the struggles of the kids I went to school with from the reserve. We did not talk much. I knew nothing of the struggles of them and their families, of the residential schools situation. I did not really know anything about their culture, heritage or language. I did not even know there were still people speaking a traditional language there."

Cannings hopes the establishment of a national day celebrating Indigenous culture will help educate Canadians. He said he already attends National Indigenous Peoples Day events every year.

"In those events, we learn about Indigenous cultures, their heritage and their languages. However, it would mean so much more if it were a national holiday."

Yukon and the Northwest Territories have already established June 21 as a province-wide holiday. Cannings wants those territories to be an example to the rest of the nation, to encourage education and reconciliation.