Today, 21 June 2021, is National Indigenous Peoples Day where we honour Canada's First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; and we celebrate their heritage and culture and the special role they have in defining Canada.

As we celebrate this special day, we must also recognize that policies of the past have greatly impacted the lives of Canada’s Indigenous peoples who lived and thrived on these lands for thousands of years.  Canada’s history does include actions that targeted specific groups being singled out for terrible treatment and discrimination.  We acknowledge the impact of these deeds and that there continues to be pain felt by Indigenous peoples.  We all have much work to do to ensure that all are treated with dignity and respect and have an equal opportunity to succeed.

In Nova Scotia, we respect and pay tribute to the Mi’kmaq who inhabit these lands.  The Crown in Nova Scotia, as represented by the Lieutenant Governor, values and respects the special and historic relationship with the Mi’kmaq.   We honour this special day by flying the flag of the Mi’kmaq at Government House.

“We are all Treaty People”

The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC
Lieutenant Governor