La Ronge cancels Canada Day to focus on National Indigenous Peoples Day

By Derek Cornet

Canada Day celebrations have been cancelled in the tri-communities for 2021.

According to a media release issued Wednesday by Air Ronge, La Ronge, and Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) leadership, the tri-communities will be cancelling Canada Day events and instead will co-host National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.

“With the greatest respect and compassion for all those impacted by the recent discoveries of children’s remains at Kamloops B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan Indian Residential School sites, the tri-communities have decided to cancel the 2021 Canada Day celebration and to focus on the National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations,” the release noted.

National Indigenous Peoples Day in La Ronge will start at 9 a.m. with a pipe ceremony downtown at the urban reserve. At 11 a.m., there will be a smudge walk and parade starting at the band office and ending at the urban reserve.

Between noon and 7 p.m., family activities with Woodland Cree cultural and traditional aspects such as moose calling and trapper activities, displays about hunting and gathering, storytelling, traditional parenting, and Métis culture sharing will be going on. There will also be fireworks at the beach with the time yet to be announced.

“We are partnering together with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and LLRIB public health nurses to have a walk-in COVID vaccine tent clinic,” the release adds. “We strongly encourage everyone eligible to be vaccinated.”

LLRIB Prevention and Recovery will be taking the lead to organize the celebration and all COVID public health guidelines will be followed. Masks will be mandatory and all participants must register.