Saskatchewan MP pushes to make National Indigenous Peoples Day statutory holiday

A Saskatchewan MP isn’t giving up in her bid to make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory holiday.

A private member’s bill introduced by NDP MP Georgina Jolibois was stuck at second reading when the House of Commons rose Wednesday for the summer break.

But Jolibois isn’t giving up the fight to make June 21 an official holiday.

Jolibois said as an Indigenous person and member of Parliament, she remains “hopeful” that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will support the bill when debate on it resumes in September.

In the meantime, though, Jolibois – who represents the riding of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River in northern Saskatcheawn – said she plans to mark Thursday’s occasion in any event.

Jolibois said she sees National Indigenous Peoples Day as a way to honour and respect Indigenous language, culture and heritage, and that awareness of the day increases every year.