OTTAWA — Hundreds of events are planned across the country on Saturday to mark Indigenous Peoples Day.
First observed in 1996, Indigenous Peoples Day is meant to recognize First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures and traditions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will take part in a closed event in Ottawa to mark the day.
“Supporting Indigenous communities, advancing self-determination, implementing treaties, and creating generational wealth and prosperity are central to our commitment to advancing reconciliation," Carney said in a statement.
“The government will work in full partnership with Indigenous Peoples — advancing shared priorities such as health care, food security, housing, education, economic prosperity, conservation, climate action, and emergency management to build a better future."
The Assembly of First Nations, meanwhile, released a summary report of its national forum held in February in Vancouver, saying there is still need for more Indigenous participation in Canadian decision-making.
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said in a statement that the government's passage of its major projects bill through the House of Commons on Friday highlighted how "First Nations participation continues to be undermined within Canada."
"We must be full and meaningful participants at every level of decision making that affects our lands and territories," Woodhouse Nepinak said, noting the assembly's opposition to the bill due to what it believes to be the possible override of Indigenous rights and environmental safeguards.
"We also need a greater First Nations presence on the global stage, especially as the critical minerals and resources on First Nations territories are poised to fulfil a global need.”
Early Saturday, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow appeared at Nathan Phillips Square to participate in a sunrise ceremony, an Anishinaabe tradition.
The office of Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon said she will host youth at Rideau Hall in Ottawa to mark the day by crafting paper hearts with "messages of reconciliation, hope and commitment."
The Governor General will plant the hearts in Rideau Hall's "heart garden," which honours Indigenous people who died in residential schools, along with survivors.
"Each heart is a symbol of our collective responsibility to listen to and carry forward their stories — of pain and disappointment, strength and courage — and to commit to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action," Simon's office said.
In Montreal, more than a hundred people gathered at the city’s Old Port to mark local Indigenous cultures on the first official day of summer.
Mohawk elder Sedalia Fazio said things are moving in the right direction between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, but there's a long way to go, noting that many are still unaware of Canada's history and colonial policies.
She expressed optimism about the younger generation of Indigenous people, but also about a better-educated non-Indigenous youth.
"The real importance of this day is that the world begins to know that we are here, that we have always been here, and that we are not going anywhere," Fazio said.
For the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Francis Verreault-Paul, the legislative reconciliation process must begin.
He expressed concern about a Quebec bill that plans to review forest zoning. Federally, Bill C-5 passed on Friday, which would allow the government to green-light a list of projects that have been deemed to be in the national interest, fast-tracking their approvals. It raises concerns for Indigenous communities being left out.
"We feel the pressure, there is a global geopolitical context that is putting pressure on us, and this pressure is being felt by the First Nations here," Verreault-Paul told The Canadian Press. "The First Nations have ancestral rights to this territory, and in order to move forward together, these rights must be respected."
This year's Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa. The festival features a competition powwow, traditional foods and teaching sessions.
Starting Saturday, the Forks in Winnipeg will host Many Nations, One Heartbeat, an 11-day festival of Indigenous performances, games, fashion and crafts.
Organizers say the festival will honour "the stories, strength, and resilience of Indigenous communities, especially in this moment of significant displacement due to Manitoba’s wildfire."
And in Toronto, the Na-Me-Res Traditional Powwow and Indigenous Arts Festival will take place Saturday at the Fort York National Historic Site, featuring traditional dances, live concerts and a food market.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2025.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
