A group that includes some prominent Canadian actors, writers and politicians is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change the name of Victoria Day.
Author Margaret Atwood, Green Party leader Elizabeth May and actor Gordon Pinsent are among those behind an online petition to rename the public holiday, which is celebrated on Monday, as "Victoria and First Peoples Day."
Peter Keleghan, an actor and spokesman for the group, says the new name would give Canadians a chance to honour both the Crown and the indigenous peoples of Canada.
"I know there is a great deal of monarchists in this country but I think also that there is also an awful lot of talk about how First Nations people, Inuit people, indigenous people in this country are being treated," he said Sunday.I think "Victoria and First Peoples Day" isn't nearly inclusive enough. I say we rename it "Victoria and First Peoples and Transgendered and Free Palestine and Africentric and anti-Islamophobia and Human Rights Day."
A bit of a tongue-twister, I'll grant you, but ever so much more "diverse," don't you think?
For one thing, they're not the "first peoples", they're the "second last peoples".
ReplyDeleteCheers