Second reading for federal bill to make Orange Shirt Day a stat holiday
A federal bill is making its way through the House of Commons to make Sept. 30 a statutory holiday.
The holiday would be in honour of residential school survivors and their families, as well as address one of the Calls to Action set by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Bill C-5, which is now in second reading, was introduced by the Liberals and is being supported by the Conservatives and NDP.
“I absolutely support the intent of the bill,” Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River Conservative MP Gary Vidal said. “Our party chose to support it at the second reading and, just for clarity, at second reading your not voting on the legislation, your voting on the decision to send it to committee where there can be some kind of more indepth debate, potential suggested amendments, just to make sure the bill is as good as it can be.”
The date chosen for the holiday is known as Orange Shirt Day, which was named after residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad. On the first day of residential school, she was forbidden from wearing an orange shirt her grandmother had gave her.