Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day Together

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to learn more about Indigenous history and cultures and celebrate the contributions First Nations, Métis and Inuit People have made across Canada.

 “Today, we mark the twenty-seventh anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day to recognize and celebrate the cultures and contributions of Indigenous Peoples here in Epekwitk (PEI) and across Canada. I invite all Epekwitnewaq (Islanders/people of Epekwitk) to join the Mi’kmaq as we observe the Summer Solstice and celebrate our culture, traditions, language, stories, and songs – everything that makes us proud of who we are,” said Chief Darlene Bernard of Lennox Island First Nation. “Our beautiful culture and heritage is a resilient gift that everyone can experience by learning more about the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq (Mi’kmaq of PEI) and spending time with our communities.”

“It’s important that we take time to celebrate Indigenous Peoples and our significant contributions to Canada, but it is also equally important to acknowledge the colonial history of this country and the contemporary issues and realties that many of our communities are still facing,” said Chief Junior Gould of Abegweit First Nation. “We can’t change our past. However, we can be honest and learn from it, and truly educate ourselves so that history does not repeat itself. Spend time with us, hear our truths, learn some Mi’kmaq language, and understand what it means to be an ally. Through actions like these, we can work together to create a better path forward, as our ancestors intended.”

In partnership with L’nuey, the province has placed additional heritage signs in six locations including Cascumpec Bay, West Point, Lennox Channel, Canoe Cove, Vernon River and Morell River. The names on these signs describe a specific location or activity that happened there and Islanders will learn more about Mi’kmaq language, culture and history in PEI.  There have been 35 Mi’kmaq signs placed since 2020. 

“Today is a day of honouring and recognizing the contribution Indigenous People have made, and continue to make, to our economy, growth and prosperity. I invite all Islanders to learn more about Mi’kmaq culture and history and participate in events organized by the communities of Lennox Island First Nation and Abegweit First Nation, and organizations such as the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI, the Native Council of PEI, and the Aboriginal Women’s Association of PEI.” 

- Premier Dennis King

The province continues to strengthen its relationship with Indigenous peoples on PEI and values the work with Indigenous organizations and communities to advance reconciliation and make a real difference. In the past year, the province has worked with Indigenous organizations to advance reconciliation through: 

• Partnered with the Native Council of PEI to open the Summerside men’s shelter on April 1st, 2023. The shelter has six beds available to those in need of housing with services available 24/7;
• Launched a Health Strategy for Women and Islanders who are Gender Diverse, which includes a priority area to create welcoming environments, especially in healthcare settings. Enhancing Indigenous cultural safety and humility underpins this priority area and serves as a guiding principle for the overall strategy;
• Launched a photo exhibit called, Perseverance, Persistence, Progress: Women’s Impact on Politics in PEI, featuring stories of politically active women, including four Mi’kmaq women: Chief Mary Bernard, Chief Margaret Bernard, Alice Mitchell and Peggy (Sark) Rydzewski; 
• Developed Education for Reconciliation resource for Grade 8 social studies using the authentic voices of Indigenous women to bring awareness of residential schools and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and
• Signed a MOU on treaty education that will create a joint working group to examine the development of its workplan. 

Most recently, the government renewed its existing project agreement between SkillsPEI and the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI (MCPEI), which includes workplace essential skills training and a social enterprise, will continue providing Indigenous participants with mentorship opportunities to enhance skills through existing social enterprise models. 

The project has allowed 16 Indigenous people to be engaged in classroom programming and create their own educational and career plans between June 2021 and May 2023.

“It has been incredibly encouraging to see the direct benefits of the partnership between SkillsPEI and the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI over the years. Helping Indigenous peoples pursue their education goals, obtain meaningful employment, and realize social enterprise projects in their communities are precisely the kind of initiatives we will continue to support to move our province forward on the path to reconciliation,” said Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population Minister Jennifer Redmond.

Media contact:
Nicole Yeba
Executive Council Office 
Bilingual Senior Communications Officer
ntyeba@gov.pe.ca