There are some important days on the calendar in June.
June 21 is National Indigenous People乌鸦传媒檚 Day, in recognition of the 1.8 million First Nations, Inuit and Metis people who live in this country.
June 24 is Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, which is also the National Day of Quebec. This is a celebration of the country乌鸦传媒檚 Francophone population, language and traditions. There are 10.7 million people in Canada who can speak French, and 6.9 million who predominantly speak French.
June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day, a time to recognize the many diverse cultural and ethnic groups within Canada, and to promote an ongoing commitment to equality, inclusion and mutual respect. Multiculturalism is one of Canada乌鸦传媒檚 values and there are many cultures, ethnic origins and traditions in this country.
June is also Pride Month in Canada, a time to recognize the 2SLGBTQI+ community and their ongoing quest to be treated equally and accepted. Around 1.3 million Canadians 15 and older identify as 2SLGBTQI+, according to federal government statistics.
These are not the only times set aside to recognize certain segments of our society.
February is designated as Black History Month. October is Women乌鸦传媒檚 History Month.
Aug. 15 is National Acadian Day, observed since 1881 to celebrate Acadian culture in Canada.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on Sept. 30, is a time to acknowledge the effects of the institutions known as residential schools in Canada. The last of these institutions closed in 1996, fewer than 30 years ago.
Remembrance Day, on Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honour the sacrifices of those who served and who continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. Veteran乌鸦传媒檚 Week is the week leading up to Remembrance Day.
There are also some days throughout the year with more of a global significance.
Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Jan. 27, is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, near the end of the Second World War. It is a time to remember Holocaust victims and to learn from this terrible period in history.
Jan. 29 is set aside as a national day of remembrance of the Quebec City mosque attack, which took place Jan. 29, 2017. Related to this, March 15 is the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This is by no means a complete list of days, months and observances.
In Canada, where inclusion is seen as a national value, it is worthwhile to take time to recognize the people who live in this country, no matter who they are. And it is important to show respect to those who have faced or are continuing to face challenges because of who they are.
The days, months and seasons in June and throughout the year serve as reminders that people matter.
乌鸦传媒� Black Press
