> Federal government wants to create residential school holiday,

Whether it would be a statutory federal day off undetermined

OTTAWA — The federal government wants to establish a holiday to acknowledge the dark legacy of Canada’s residential school system, and plans to use an opposition bill to make it happen.

The government has been consulting with Indigenous organizations about creating a holiday to honour survivors and raise awareness about the churchrun, government-backed schools — one of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Indigenous leaders haven’t settled on whether the day should be a full-blown statutory holiday or a day of tribute that would offer some form of symbolic recognition.

The government plans to move the behind-the-scenes discussion into a parliamentary forum, allowing Indigenous groups, leaders and residential school survivors to debate the idea with parliamentarians.

The government intends to back a private member’s bill introduced by NDP MP Georgina Jolibois that proposes establishing a statutory holiday on June 21, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day.

A spokesman for Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the government has committed to fulfilling the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, and plans to do just that.

“Call to Action 80 asks the government of Canada to establish a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour the survivors of residential schools,” spokesman Simon Ross said.

“That’s exactly what we will do, and we will do that in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.”

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde said First Nations support a national day to “recognize the tragic and painful legacy of residential schools,” while also honouring survivors and their families.

“A day dedicated to remembering and honouring the students of residential schools will help to increase public understanding of our shared history, and better inform our work together going forward. It is an important part of reconciliation and First Nations need to be involved in choosing an appropriate date,” Bellegarde said.

The government-funded, church-run residential schools operated for more than a century. Indigenous children were ripped away from their families, usually starting in late September, and sent to schools where they endured widespread sexual, emotional and physical abuse.

The previous Conservative government issued a formal apology in 2008.

If Parliament did approve a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday, it would apply only to federally regulated workplaces — the civil service, marine ports, airports, airlines and telecommunications companies.

Provinces and territories would have to amend their existing labour codes to establish any additional day off.

Jolibois was cautiously optimistic that the government wouldn’t radically amend her bill to create a statutory holiday on June 21, and called on the government to provide clarity as soon as possible.

“The conclusion that I have is that [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] is playing politics,” she said. “I’m very cautious because I have so many questions of the federal government.”

Debate on the bill will resume in the fall after the House of Commons reconvenes.

Last year, a majority of MPs voted to give Remembrance Day the same legal status as Canada Day.