UFCW Canada calls for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to become a statutory holiday in all provinces

TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is a day for Canadians to learn, heal and reflect upon the past: however, many workers are unable to do so due to the insufficient governmental recognition of the day.

The federal government established September 30 as a federal holiday in 2021 to honour survivors of residential schools and to remember the children who never returned home. However, currently only six provinces and territories (New Brunswick, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut) recognize it as a paid statutory holiday, which leaves many Indigenous workers without the paid time off to join community ceremonies, reflect with families, or take part in healing.

UFCW calls on all provinces to recognize this day as a paid statutory holiday for all workers: Indigenous workers across Canada have the time to join their community ceremonies, to reflect with friends and families, and for all Canadians to have the time to heal and reflect upon the country’s past. Individuals can write to their provincial elected officials here to demand that their province make September 30 a paid statutory holiday.

For 2025, members of the UFCW Canada Indigenous Committee shared their stories about the importance of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. The three-part video series features personal reflections and calls to action from Indigenous members across the country. Watch the videos here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

"We all need to heal together. I've had [non-Indigenous] people come up to me and say they're ashamed of the things that their ancestors did to my people. And you know what? That's why we need this day," says UFCW Canada Resident Elder Eric Flett. "Everybody needs to heal together in a good way. I don't know why governments don't want to do it: it would be so easy, so simple to do it. To let everybody heal together. Not just Indigenous people, everybody. Everybody's healing is important."

“Truth and Reconciliation is not a single day of remembrance, but a responsibility we carry throughout the year,” says UFCW Canada National President Shawn Haggerty. “We call on governments across Canada to recognize the vital importance of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation: it must be a statutory holiday to allow space for all Canadians time to reflect on the intergenerational trauma caused by colonial policies, to commit ourselves to the ongoing work of reconciliation, and move forward on our healing journeys.”

For 2025, UFCW Canada has also commissioned a special orange shirt design by Shane Kejick, the creator of the clothing line Neechi By Nature. A multidisciplinary artist working through hip hop and music production, filmmaking, and design, Shane launched Neechi By Nature to create space for the urban Indigenous community and experience through fashion and streetwear. His commissioned orange shirt features a powerful thunderbird on the front, symbolizing strength, protection, and resurgence, while the back carries the message “Carrying Our Ancestors” — a reminder of the resilience, teachings, and spirit that guide us forward in the ongoing journey of truth and reconciliation.

About UFCW Canada

As Canada's leading union for retail and food workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada) represents over 250,000 workers across the country working in the food retail and processing, agriculture, health care, security, and hospitality industries, as well as other sectors of the economy. UFCW Canada is the country's most innovative labour union dedicated to building fairness in workplaces and communities.

Contact: Emmanuelle Lopez- Bastos, 416-574-0271

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