This Canada Day we at Rainbow Faith and Freedom propose a new way to celebrate our amazing country.
We would like to acknowledge the pain that has come from the colonization of Turtle Island into “Canada”. Many communities have been harmed by this colonization and we do not want to minimize the role religion has played in this. We at RFF believe we need to understand and acknowledge our history so that we can help those who have been harmed by it. For many Indigenous communities Canada Day is associated with children being ripped from their homes and cultures by religious institutions. In residential schools children were shamed for their heritage and abused in numerous ways. The Indigenous people have a long history of gender and sexual diversity which was violently suppressed by colonialism and residential schools. Children were forced to fit themselves into a colonial gender binary system which often included disparaging sacred Indigenous hair traditions. Alternative marriage and kinship forms went legally unrecognized and often resulted in the criminalization of Indigenous people. First wives were spared from attending residential schools resulting in Indigenous parents marrying off their young daughters to older men so as to protect them. This was then weaponized as barbaric propaganda by colonialists.
At RFF we are invested in undoing this harm to Indigenous communities so that they may once again express their sexuality and gender in ways that feel authentic to themselves and their culture. We are committed to learning the wisdom of the Two-Spirit people and other diverse forms of self-expression so that we may better honour these identities. The religious-based homophobia and transphobia that the Indigenous people were subject to is inexcusable and we are unwavering in our support to help them re-establish their ancestral traditions. The recent uncovering of mass graves serves as a reminder that this history is not in the past but still harms our Indigenous communities in the here and now. We envision Canada Day as a day of learning and reconciliation.
We envision a Canada Day where every Canadian takes the time to appreciate the diversity and culture we are lucky to be exposed to thanks to immigrants and refugees.
We envision a Canada Day where we thank our Indigenous population for taking care of the Earth and pledging to learn their practices so that we may peacefully nurse our planet back to health together. We envision Canada as a place where Indigenous people can thrive.
We envision a Canada Day where every place of worship opens its doors to all people, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or their religious beliefs.
We imagine a Canada Day celebration that centres around reflecting on our past to create a better future where all people no matter where they come from, what they look like, or who they love are able to have their human rights met.
We recommend the following resources if you are interested in learning more about reparations efforts or are interested in donating.
Government of Canada methods of reconciliation to renew the relationship with Indigenous peoples: https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1400782178444/1529183710887
Calls to Action Accountability: a 2021 Status Update on Reconciliation: https://yellowheadinstitute.org/trc/
Indspire is an Indigenous national charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada: https://indspire.ca/ways-to-give/donate/