London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

‘Ongoing colonialism’: Indigenous groups call to ‘Cancel Canada Day’ in light of mass grave discoveries, but not everyone agrees

‘Ongoing colonialism’: Indigenous groups call to ‘Cancel Canada Day’ in light of mass grave discoveries, but not everyone agrees

Ahead of Canada’s annual celebration of nationhood on July 1, calls by indigenous groups for a day of reflection instead – after the recent discovery of the graves of nearly 1,000 indigenous children – have drawn mixed reactions.

Intense debate has erupted in recent days over ‘Cancel Canada Day’ campaigns, with several Canadians claiming that hosting fireworks displays and parties would be tone-deaf at a time when the reality of mass graves and the impact of the infamous residential school system has just begun to set in.

A number of demonstrations and vigils are being organized under the viral hashtag #CancelCanadaDay in solidarity with First Nations communities in provinces across Canada, including British Columbia where the remains of what is believed to be 215 children were found at a former school site last month.

Following a month-long outpouring of grief and anger over that discovery, last week’s revelation of an estimated 751 unmarked graves at another old school site in the province of Saskatchewan added to the national gloom.

“We will not celebrate stolen indigenous land and stolen indigenous lives. Instead, we will gather to honor all of the lives lost to the Canadian state,” said indigenous rights group Idle No More, under whose banner more than 15 rallies will take place nationally.

The group said the discovery of the graves is a reminder that Canada is a country “that has built its foundation on the erasure and genocide of indigenous nations, including children” and urged those who want to “challenge and disrupt Canada’s ongoing colonialism” to disrupt the celebration.

At least 150,000 indigenous children are believed to have been forcibly removed from their families to attend the schools, which operated into the 1990s. They were given new names, forcibly converted to Christianity, and even forbidden from speaking their native languages.

Idle No More co-founder Sheelah McLean said some 50 cities and towns across Canada had decided to cancel planned Canada Day events “out of respect for the grief indigenous peoples are going through.” She also said every other city and town “should follow suit.”

However, some social media users expressed skepticism about the level of commitment from the cities ‘canceling Canada Day,’ with one person suggesting that some might be using it as an “excuse for an event they intended to cancel due to Covid anyway.”


In a speech last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested using the holidays for “reconciliation, on our relationship with indigenous peoples... [and] on our past.” He added that could be done while respecting those “for whom it’s not yet a day of celebration.”

On Wednesday, Trudeau said the flag at Canada’s parliament would be flown at half-mast to honor the lives lost and “reflect on the tragedy of residential schools.” Several Canadians accused him of “virtue signaling” while ignoring the actual needs of indigenous communities.


On the other hand, one tweeter said Trudeau was “causing a rift between Canadians” and said the country was “under attack by a woke government.”

Leader of the opposition Conservative Party Erin O’Toole said that injustices of the past were being “seized upon by a small group of activist voices” who were using it to “attack the very idea of Canada itself.”

Many reacting to his comments accused O’Toole of having a “cultish” sense of patriotism and criticized him for whipping sections of his voter base into a frenzy by “fanning the flames” of their “racism and intolerance.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
×