As Canada marks first Emancipation Day, advocates push for more education on country's history of slavery
Sunday marked the first time that Emancipation Day, a commemoration of the abolishment of slavery in the British Empire, was celebrated in Canada but advocates say much remains to be done to spread awareness of a dark chapter of the country's history.
“Today marks an important step in acknowledging our past and a renewed commitment to a more fair, inclusive and just Canada for all,” said Liberal MP Mary Ng during an Emancipation Day ceremony.
It was on Aug. 1, 1834 that the institution of slavery was ended in the what was then the British Empire, including the territory that would become the Dominion of Canada. But many Canadians are ignorant of Canada's slave-owning past, a situation which must change, according to advocate Rito Joseph.
“Canadians should be aware of this country's colonial past. People were enslaved on this land, in this society.”
Community advocate Thierry Lindor noted that human traffickers operated out of “France, Britain, Portugal, Spain, Canada and the United States of America. I find that just calling it slavery diminishes the actual impact of what it was. It was basically human trafficking.”
Emancipation Day comes as Canada grapples with its history of mistreating its Indigenous population following the discovery of numerous mass graves at former residential school sites. Indigenous activist Ellen Gabriel said the two parts of Canadian history are linked.
“There's graves not just of Indian residential school children, but also of slaves right across Canada, who were taken from their homes.”
Catherine Richardson Knewesquao said teaching that part of Canadian history can be a challenge, due to the one-sided nature of the records from that time.
“There were colonial records, but it was kept through this colonial lens,” she said. “It was more like documenting the transport of goods than talking about human souls and human lives and the cost of this forced diaspora of people.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.