The ongoing genocidal violence and land theft, of which Canada Day is a symbol, must stop. Despite the heartbreaking news of unmarked mass graves discovered across residential schools, which shocked and awakened people living on Turtle Island, and despite numerous calls to cancel Canada Day, the City of Kingston continues to celebrate Canada Day this year.
Tell your Councillors, MPP and MP, that you demand an end to Canada Celebration and ask for real action towards justice for Indigenous communities.
——————————————-
Here is what you can do today:
1. Write a letter to your City Councillors, MP Ian Arthur, and MPP Mark Gerretsen, saying no to Canada Day Celebrations, and demanding real justice for Indigenous communities. Download our mail template and contact information here!
2. Call them in the numbers listed below, and let them know your thoughts.
3. Educate yourself with these resources!
——————————————-
Contact Information
MP and MPP
- Kingston + Islands MPP Ian Arthur ianarthur@ndp.on.ca 613-547-2385
- Kingston + Islands MP Mark Gerretsen Mark.Gerretsen@parl.gc.ca 613-542-3243Mayor
- Kingston City Mayor Brian Patterson mayor@cityofkingston.ca 613-546-4291 (1400)Councillors
- Countryside Gary Oosterhof goosterhof@cityofkingston.ca 613-453-3235
- Loyalist-Cataraqui Simon Chapelle schapelle@cityofkingston.ca 613-328-5842
- Collins-Bayridge Lisa Osanic losanic@cityofkingston.ca 613-389-7336
- Lakeside Wayne Hill whill@cityofkingston.ca 613-328-5718
- Portsmouth Bridget Doherty bdoherty@cityofkingston.ca 613-328-5978
- Trillium Robert Kiley rkiley@cityofkingston.ca 613-328-5947
- Kingscourt-Rideau Mary Rita Holland mrholland@cityofkingston.ca 613-888-4976
- Meadowbrook-Strathcona Jeff McLaren jmclaren@cityofkingston.ca 613-888-4327
- Williamsville Jim Neill jneill@cityofkingston.ca 613-888-4650
- Sydenham Peter Stroud pstroud@cityofkingston.ca 613-217-0286
- Kingstown Rob Hutchison rhutchison@cityofkingston.ca 613-544-3515
- Pittsburgh Ryan Boehme rnboehme@cityofkingston.ca 613-888-3924——————————————-Mail Template
Download the mail template here!
——————————————-
Below you can find Email Templates for both Federal/Provincial Representatives, as well as City Councillors1. Federal/Provincial Representative Email subject line: City of Kingston – Canada Day CelebrationTo MP/MPP/Prime Minister,I am writing to you to express my concerns regarding celebrating Canada day. Turtle Island has been the land and home of Indigenous people for over 10000 years. Canada day is a celebration of the colonization of these lands and represents the ongoing violence and colonialism enacted upon Indigenous people who continue to inhabit these lands. We ask our representatives at the federal govt to engage critically with our past and forge a more equitable future by advocating against the erasure of Indigenous histories and modern-day stories of oppression.As the elected official for our region, I call on you to not only support canceling Canada Day to honour all of the lives lost to the Canadian state but also ensure that Indigenous efforts for Land Back are implemented and that the government commits to material change within Indigenous communities. Three specific actions that the government must commit to are:
- Immediately address and end all long-term boil water advisories within the country;
- Provide adequate mental health support for Indigenous communities; and
- Implement and support organizations in the implementations in the 94 calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Committee.
The federal Liberal government committed to ending long-term boil water advisories within five years of coming to power. This is a target which they failed to meet. Although there are a number of boil water advisories that have been solved, new ones have also arisen. The majority advisories remain in Ontario. Current estimates indicate that it will take at least another five years to eradicate them. As a[n] [Liberal MP/Member of the opposition/Ontario MPP] I call on you to hold the federal government to account and make the eradication of long-term boil water advisories a top priority. Another five years of boil water advisories is unacceptable.
Another priority must be addressing the rates of suicide in First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. Attawapiskat heartbreakingly, being one community synonymous with youth suicides. These consistently higher rates are unacceptable and I call on you to advocate to the [federal/ provincial] government to provide money and support for comprehensive community based mental health services and accompanying supports, including affordable housing be implemented in all Indigenous communities within Canada where it is needed no matter the cost.
Third, I call on the government to implement, and support organizations in the implementation of the 94 calls to action that were published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Since the release of their report in 2015, there has not been enough action to engage with any of the actions beyond those least difficult to achieve.
[Canada/Ontario] must prove itself willing to honour Indigenous sovereignty and confront the legacies of colonialism head-on. This year on July 1st, and going forward, I call on you to centre Indigenous people and communities at the heart of governmental policy and to refuse to nevermore celebrate the violent history of this country.
Sincerely,
[ YOUR NAME]
- For City Councillors
Email subject line: City of Kingston – Canada Day CelebrationDear Councillor,
I am writing to you to express my concerns regarding celebrating Canada day. Turtle Island has been the land and home of Indigenous people for over 10000 years. Canada day is a celebration of the colonization of these lands and represents the ongoing violence and colonialism enacted upon Indigenous people who continue to inhabit these lands. At this time, we ask you to engage critically with our past and forge a more equitable future by advocating against the erasure of Indigenous histories and modern-day stories of oppression.
As the elected councillor for our district, I call on you to not only commit to canceling Canada Day celebrations in future years to honour all of the lives lost to the Canadian state but also ensure that Indigenous efforts for Land Back are implemented and that the government commits to material change within Indigenous communities.
One specific situation in need of your attention is the housing crisis in Kingston. The housing crisis in our city disproportionately harms Indigenous communities here, and is yet another example of the need for the City to recognize and abide by TRC recommendations as well as anti-colonial principles. While First Nations people constitute approximately 3 percent of Kingston’s population (Statistics Canada, 2016), according to the Housing and Homelessness Report (2018), 24 percent of the urban homeless population and 46 percent in rural areas “identify as Indigenous.” The City’s commitment towards protecting landlords and developers has resulted in the furthering of land theft and resource theft from Indigenous peoples. If the City considers itself truthful in its gestures towards reconciliation, then one of the immediate steps that need to be taken is to ensure affordable and accessible housing for First Nations people in Katarokwi.
Best regards,
[ YOUR NAME ]