Indigenous leaders and politicians participated within the flag-raising ceremony earlier than the Nationwide Day for Fact and Reconciliation
VICTORIA — Recent fall winds helped mark a flag-raising ceremony immediately on the B.C. Legislature honouring residential faculty survivors and remembering kids who by no means got here residence.
The orange and white Survivors’ Flag will probably be flown on the entrance garden of the Legislature till sunset on Saturday, the Nationwide Day for Fact and Reconciliation.
Indigenous leaders and politicians representing B.C.’s New Democrats, B.C. United and Greens participated within the flag-raising ceremony earlier than the Nationwide Day for Fact and Reconciliation when the flag will probably be flown at federal, provincial and municipal buildings throughout Canada.
Raj Chouhan, Speaker of the Legislature, says he’s dedicated to making sure the Legislature is a welcoming, inclusive place for everyone.
He says the Survivors’ Flag is a welcome signal to a Legislature constructing that has been a bodily image of colonialism the place politicians have enacted legal guidelines that induced hurt to Indigenous individuals in B.C.
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, says the elevating of the Survivors’ Flag on the Legislature is a historic second representing equal remedy for all individuals.
“We’re right here immediately to recollect, to commemorate, to honour and to mourn the lack of our little angels who didn’t come residence from residential faculty,” he mentioned.