By Teena Monteleone and Derek Cornet

Jolibois confident bill for Indigenous stat holiday will become law

Oct 3, 2018 | 5:00 PM

The member of parliament for Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River is confident her private members bill to make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory holiday will become a reality.

Georgina Jolibois’ bill passed second reading with a vote of 203 in favour and 79 against last week.

“We passed another milestone and now its onto the committee stage,” said Jolibois. “Witnesses will be invited to provide presentation in support of the June 21 statutory holiday in Canada and from there it will face a Senate vote. I am very optimistic it will gain support.”

The NDP MP, who represents constituents north of Prince Albert, has the support of the Liberal government. All of the Liberal MPs who voted on her bill voted in favour. The idea to create a statutory holiday was one of the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously pledged to enact all the recommendations that fall under federal jurisdiction.

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“If we are truly committed to reconciliation, it is our duty to think about the time of celebration Indigenous people have created for themselves. We remember the historical wrongs and build relationships between people in Canada,” said Jolibois in an NDP press release. “I look forward to seeing my bill studied at committee and to reach third reading.”

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