Sir, – Fintan O'Toole is rather selective in his presentation of the facts concerning Canada's new public holiday ("Fine Gael's ideas for a national holiday are put to shame by Canada", Opinion & Analysis, October 5th).
Alberta and Quebec have refused point-blank to recognise it. British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Yukon have refused to extend the holiday to non-public employees.
Ontario has yet to decide whether to extend the holiday to non-public employees, while Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut haven’t yet decided whether they will recognise the holiday. – Yours, etc,
GERRY LAWLESS,
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Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole could not be more wrong to suggest that Tánaiste Leo Varadkar emulate Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s approach to recognising institutionalised violence against children. I hope that Ireland will do a much better job than Canada has done.
As O’Toole notes, in inaugurating a national commemorative holiday in honour of Indigenous families, Mr Trudeau said on September 30th: “Today, I invite everyone across the country to recognise and observe the first National Day of Reconciliation. It is a day to reflect on the painful and lasting impacts of residential schools in Canada, and to honour survivors, their families, and their communities. It is also a day to remember the many children who never returned home, and an opportunity for us all to learn more, and to affirm the need for reconciliation and commit ourselves to the work ahead.”
Mr Trudeau spent the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation vacationing on a beach in Tofino, British Columbia. He did not attend any commemorative events on the day. Nor did he respond to invitations from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation to attend its ceremony near the former Kamloops Residential School, where the remains of some 200 children were discovered in May. Mr Trudeau flew past Kamloops on the way to his seaside vacation.
Indigenous leaders and others have harshly criticised Mr Trudeau’s behaviour.
Lynne Groulx, CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, said that his words of reconciliation “ring incredibly hollow when Mr Trudeau could not take the time that his own government set aside to reflect upon the tragedy of the Indian residential schools and instead chose to flit off to Tofino for a holiday”.
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs issued a statement saying Mr Trudeau’s decision not to attend the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc event was “an arrogant dismissal” and a “slap in the face” to survivors of residential schools.
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs president Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said, “I describe the prime minister as not having the qualities and integrity of a national leader” and remarked that Mr Trudeau’s behaviour reflected that of a “spoiled, petulant child of privilege” .
While Mr Trudeau is involved in many public displays of remorse, his government is in court fighting a compensation award for the state’s reckless role in removing Indigenous children from their families under a discriminatory child-welfare law.
In his “emetic crassness” and “tactless flippancy”, Mr Varadkar is much closer to Mr Trudeau than O’Toole allows. – Yours, etc,
MIKE BURKE,
Toronto,
Canada.