The Forks is taking a new approach to the July 1 celebrations this year.
Months of Indigenous-led roundtables with community members, newcomers and young people led to their decision to remodel what Canada Day might be like at the National Historic Site.
“This time last year. The Forks.
Thousands of people across the country chose not to celebrate Canada Day in 2021 and instead chose to spend the day honoring the thousands of children who were forced to attend residential schools.
In Winnipeg, two large demonstrations created a sea of orange T-shirts in the city center.
Winnipeg is usually a red and white sea on Canada Day. Last year, the Winnipeggers took to the streets in too many orange dresses to remember the children who died in residential schools. (Andrew Friesen / CBC)
Although searches of residential school grounds continue across the country, Stasiuk says he still feels inadequate to celebrate the colonial holiday.
“News keeps coming in about the atrocities that took place under this banner. So having a celebration without recognizing the breadth of our community and the impact it can have, I just didn’t feel responsible,” he said.
The inaugural event called “A New Day” will be an opportunity to come together with the intention of sharing what was learned from the community participation sessions and bringing people together to learn and celebrate, according to a press release.
During the participation process, a common response from community members was that they expected The Forks to be a safe, interesting, and vibrant public space. Stasiuk said that feeling became a key inspiration for the creation of the new event.
“There was a lot of interest in intercultural understanding and storytelling and, you know, traditional dance and music celebrations,” he said.
There will be activities for families throughout the day, such as football and basketball tournaments, pow-wow dances, drums, craft stations and performances by theater groups and musicians.
There will be dedicated spaces led by indigenous people for ceremonies and healings in Oodena and The Gathering Space in Niizhoziibean.
Camp CN will have food trucks, games, a bicycle parking service and story tents.
Stasiuk knows that some people will be disappointed by the changes in The Forks’ July 1 schedule, including the lack of fireworks. She hopes attendees will leave the event invigorated and inspired by the tradition, art, talent and culture of Winnipeg.
“Because of our location and the role we play in the community, it was very important for us to be respectful and offer something attractive,” he said.
More details on the event’s schedule can be found on The Forks website.