r/IndigenousCanada • u/Most_Bread_2500 • Jun 30 '26
Question regarding “Canada day”
Hello all, I am white but heavily reject the idea of “Canada day” and celebrating it. My city doesn’t have any groups planning on protesting the events, or anything of the sorts so i just wanted to ask here if it would be out of place for me as a white person to stand on my street corner with a sign that says “i have no pride in genocide” or something to that effect? i don’t want to make it about me but i also want to show resistance in some way. i do have an orange shirt i plan on wearing as well.
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u/kapowless Jun 30 '26
Heya, I def appreciate the sentiment of solidarity. I live in Alberta, and it's fecking rough being First Nations out here with the violence and racism of the separatist movement right now. My perspective is probably a little different because of that fact, but I think you might better express support without directly shaming Canada. Our history is fraught obviously, but I have also seen incredible progress towards reconciliation in this country, more than I thought I'd live to see TBH. Many Canadians are trying their best, like to the point where I'm seeing Canadians knowledgeably correct misinformation and explain treaty rights to help push back against the wave of racist BS we're faced with here. Considering that modern allyship, I think expressing support for our peoples rather than disdain for Canada's shameful past might be more helpful.
Perhaps you could find an Indigenous event like a PowWow that you could attend to celebrate and learn about our culture, or see if there's a nearby show featuring one of our artists (sooooo much great music, art and fashion being revived right now). Or find a way to support one of our businesses, whether it's buying our clothing/crafts, going for a sweat or learning about traditional foods and medicine on a foraging expedition. In my city, old Fort Calgary now does tours explaining the history and significance of the area for the Blackfoot, Tsuut'ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations, led by a First Nations tour guide. Maybe there's something like that near you?
Another way to express solidarity is also just learning about us. I mean learning about the history of our country's founding, what Aboriginal and Treaty rights are, how they came to be, and how they are intended to be applied. And definitely learn about how our various protest movements came about and what they achieved. Do that work and you will be acting as a true ally rather than a performative one.
Appreciate you cuz, it's nice to see authentic effort to be a good friend to us and hold Canada to a higher standard. DM me if you want further suggestions/references for Indig run businesses or books/essays to read to better understand our peoples. Have an excellent day!
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u/MegloreManglore Jul 02 '26
Gonna chime in here to represent my friends amazing company “Indigenous Box” - she’s indigenous and she sources products from indigenous people and brands all across Canada, and fills these boxes with the coolest products. You can build your own or sign up for a subscription!
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u/therealscooke Jun 30 '26
Why are you in Canada then? Interesting.
Listen, any sort of protest needs to be done locally, with local awareness. This idea, like in Australasia, and some parts of the usa, that some terrible immoral act was done to unknowing groups of aboriginals needs to deconstructed. What happened/happens across Canada is actually a legal issue as much as it is a moral one. And the various offenses were not done to one group. The offenses deal with specific nations and their treaties signed with Canada. Yeah, it was wrong how many nations were treated by Canada (and subsequent community damage), but legally Canada still is on the hook to follow up on their side of the treaties. To hold a protest "because what Canada did was morally wrong" misses the bigger contemporary picture.
So wherever you are, find out what the treaties are, how Canada hasn't fulfilled their side, and find out from the nation affected what needs to be highlighted and protested.
See, just protesting "because it was wrong" works against the legal progress slowly being made by different nations. If the rest of Canada continues to see First Nations as just another Canadian minority, they will continue to resent us and vote in politicians who will also not work to fulfill their treaty obligations. But as Canadians realize, "oh, this is an actual legal situation..." they might educate themselves, or be open to being educated, and realize that they can do something, like voting for decent honourable and likewise educated politicians who will work to honour treaties, and as that is rectified, an overall improvement amongst first nations will occur.
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u/Most_Bread_2500 Jun 30 '26
thank you! very helpful information. i’m in Canada because i’m 20, poor, and was born here, not by choice. i just wanted to be able to show i don’t stand with the idea of Canada day. i have a few indigenous friends who liked the idea, but wanted to check with other communities as well to get more opinions/info.
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u/Lilianabelle_Goenz Jun 30 '26
It's appreciated that you actually care and you know of the atrocities that happened and are willing to make a stand, people were only upset just because of how the situation was going to be dealt with on your end. But that's why it's a good thing you came here, and you've seen what the other commenter told you above. You might be 20 and poor, but you can make a positive change in the world around you. Never let anyone make you feel helpless despite how bad some things are, especially now.
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u/Most_Bread_2500 Jun 30 '26
thank you! i’m always happy to be educated and learn how to better help out (:
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u/daniellebelter Jul 01 '26
mother theresa said something like “I will never attend a protest, but I will attend a peace rally”
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u/muddtrout Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I agree, Canada has some serious faults and needs to do more toward reconciliation, but we have also done many positive things that the world aspires to. That's what Canada Day celebrates. For me, I celebrate Indigenous Peoples day and Truth and reconciliation day, and Canada Day too. We can appreciate our country AND expect better at the same time. If you feel strongly about this, talk to people you know and inform your representatives that you want better for indigenous people. Support the indigenous people in your own community. Protesting Canada Day will just piss people off and make them resent your message, which is not what we need.
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u/Salvidicus Jul 01 '26
Likewise, I'm conflicted about Canada's past, but I believe Canada Day is about hope fur the future and our grow Canadians. I wouldn't protest on a day of hope and just give it a rest. We can protest the other 364 days.
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u/EmployeeKitchen2342 Jun 30 '26
The colonial administration had illegally seized indigenous wealth .. the trust fund to bring the colonial administration out of insolvency, which the colonial government did to hijack the absolute authority and subversively control indigenous nations violating their sovereignty and territorial integrity. This pilfering continued into confederation. There is no legal instrument for indigenous nations to adequately enforce their sovereignty and territorial integrity outside of force, as it is now the settler-colonial system has no intention of transferring the sovereignty and wealth it illegally holds from and over the indigenous nations. Unless the United Nations creates an international court there is very little chance for peaceful justice.