Thousands of British Columbians celebrated the nation’s national day on Saturday.
For the second year, Canada Day at Canada Place was celebrated and reimagined in the spirit of reconciliation.
Planned with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, ‘Canada Together’ is one of the largest celebrations outside of Ottawa.
Due to the port strike, the citizenship ceremony was moved from Canada Place to an office near BC Place, where 30 new Canadian citizens were welcomed.
“It’s been a long journey. I came to Canada as a student in 2013, got my education here, job here, my family here,” said new Canadian Nitin Goyal. “Canada has given me a lot and I’m really proud I am living here and this is my new home. “
Another new Canadian said this is a day that has been marked on the calendar for quite some time.
“I guess a lot of people don’t know the feeling when you are coming from a lot of challenges and hardship in your life and getting through this moment … I think it’s incredible,” said Syed Ali Haider Rizvi.
In Vancouver’s Chinatown, the country’s first Chinese-Canadian Museum officially opened with an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of a racist chapter in Canadian history.
The government enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act on July 1, 1923, which effectively banned all immigration for more than two decades. The racist legislation was abolished in 1947, paving the way to citizenship and the right to vote. A century later the Chinese immigrants who endured discrimination while helping build our country are being celebrated on Canada day.
“We’ve come a long way as a people. I was just talking to my grandfather, he paid that head tax,” said King Yee, a Chinese-Canadian Museum visitor. “The Chinese community has come a long way and now we’re here celebrating. We’re all part of it (and) it’s great.”
In Mission, a Canada Day weekend powwow on the grounds of the former St. Mary’s Residential School. It was organized by a youth-led non-profit, VYPER, with the goal to promote Indigenous cultural revitalization.
“My great nana Helen — she went to this residential school and it changed my family forever, it changed our history,” said Helena May, a VYPER spokesperson. “We’re reclaiming our roots, taking back our history and becoming strong together.”
Back at Canada Place, there will be no fireworks Saturday night. The Port of Vancouver cited rising costs and a “new direction” for the event.
“We had to make some difficult decisions and when you think of what the largest spends are and where we can better spend our resources, we decided to really create an incredible daytime event.” Gillian Behnke said, a Port of Vancouver spokesperson.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has previously expressed his disappointed and is hoping the light show can return in the coming years.
“Fireworks have long been a part of Canada Day in Vancouver and we’re incredibly disappointed to see them cancelled this year,” Sim tweeted at the end of May. “We will be reaching out to the Port Authority to discuss this further and hope to see a return of Canada Day fireworks in the coming years.”
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