Betty Nippi-Albright, the Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Metis Relations called upon the provincial government to ensure that National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day as a provincial statutory holiday.
So far British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories have confirmed that they will mark September 30th as a provincial statutory holiday.
Nippi-Albright says that everyone in Saskatchewan should have the opportunity on September 30th to take time and reflect on the tragedies of residential schools. She added that more work needed to be done to honor the memories of the victims of residential schools, as evident last week when the memorial that was damaged by last week during a protest rally.
The provincial government haven’t done enough to honor the memory of the victims of the residential schools according to Nippi-Albright. “What they are doing, is that they are looking at installing a marker, to commemorate residential schools, but that is nothing compared to what we actually need.”
Albright added she would happily work with the government to make any amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act that may be required to ensure all workers will be able to take a paid day of recognition on September 30.
