UFCW Canada walks in support of Our Dreams Matter Too campaign
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Toronto – June 10, 2016 – UFCW Canada representatives recently came together to walk and pen their signatures to letters demanding fair and equitable services for First Nations children in Canada.
The event marked the eight anniversary of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's public apology for the horrendous treatment of Indigenous children in Canada's residential school system, which removed thousands of Aboriginal children from their homes and subjected them to years of degradation and abuse.
For the sixth year in a row, UFCW Canada activists led a peaceful march through the streets of Toronto in support of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) Our Dreams Matter Too campaign. The walk was preceded by a letter-writing campaign calling on the federal government to provide First Nations children with equal opportunities to grow up safely at home, receive a good education, and be able to celebrate their cultures.
"Coming together to participate in this important walk is a symbol of our solidarity with the First Nations peoples of Canada," says Paul Meinema, the National President of UFCW Canada.
The annual walk is one of several UFCW Canada initiatives aimed at supporting the work of the FNCFCS. As part of Aboriginal History Month, our union is also promoting the “Principles of Reconciliation” in the workplace through a number of resources that are available to members and allies. To find out more about UFCW Canada’s Reconciliation initiatives, click here.
Our union acknowledges the systemic wrongs that have undermined Canada’s First Nations peoples for years. By raising awareness of the inequities that Indigenous children and communities face, we can work to improve the living standards of First Nations citizens and preserve Canada's diverse Aboriginal cultures.
UFCW Canada members, staff, and allies are encouraged to send their own letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to demand safe housing, education, and equal opportunities for all First Nations children by visiting the UFCW Canada Action Centre.