<div dir="ltr"><img src="cid:ii_l8nflmlr0" alt="Honouring Orange Shirt Day.jpg" width="467" height="263"><br><br><span style="font-weight:400">On </span><span style="font-weight:400">July 20, 2021</span><span style="font-weight:400">, the </span><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/maple-leaf/defence/2021/07/federal-statutory-holiday-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation.html"><span style="font-weight:400">Government of Canada declared</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">
 September 30 the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal 
statutory holiday in order to allow public servants the opportunity “to 
recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools.” The 
declaration of this holiday is in response to </span><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf"><span style="font-weight:400">Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">
 No. 80, calling for the creation of a statutory holiday “to honour 
Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public 
commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a
 vital component of the reconciliation process”</span><span style="font-weight:400">.</span><span style="font-weight:400"> </span>
<p class="gmail-mb-3"><span style="font-weight:400">The Province of British 
Columbia has not yet declared September 30 as a province-wide statutory 
holiday, but has declared the date a </span><a href="https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FIN0048-001531"><span style="font-weight:400">“day of commemoration.”</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">
 This means that some public and private sector employers will stop 
operations on that day, but decisions will be made on a case-by-case 
basis (for an overview of what other provinces are doing on September 
30, visit this page from the </span><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html"><span style="font-weight:400">Government of Canada</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-mb-3"><span style="font-weight:400">Museums, galleries, and 
cultural organizations that are not operated by federal, provincial, or 
local governments are not legally required to close on September 30 this
 year, but we urge all BCMA members to use this day as an opportunity to
 learn, reflect, and take action in support of truth and reconciliation.<br><br></span></p><p class="gmail-mb-3"><span style="font-weight:400">Read more and review the<b><span style="font-weight:400"> resources the BCMA has compiled</span></b>

here:<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:400"><b><a href="https://museum.bc.ca/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/">https://museum.bc.ca/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/</a></b></span></b>

</span></p>



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