Today, 21 June 2019, is National Indigenous Peoples Day.  On this day, we honour Canada’s Indigenous peoples.  We celebrate the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and their heritage and culture and the special role they have in defining Canada.

In Nova Scotia, we respect and honour the Mi’kmaq who inhabit these lands and who first welcomed European explorers in the early 1600’s.   In 1725, the first Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed between the Mi’kmaq and the Crown and it continues to be a foundational aspect of modern-day Nova Scotia.  The Crown in Nova Scotia, as represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, cherishes and respects the special relationship that exists with the Mi’kmaq.