UFCW Canada participates in National Aboriginal Day actions

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Calgary – June 29, 2017 – UFCW Canada activists honoured National Aboriginal Day at a gathering held at the new UFCW Canada Local 401 office in Calgary.

National President Paul Meinema, together with UFCW Canada Local 401 Secretary Treasurer Theresa McLaren, joined representatives from the UFCW Canada Indigenous sub-committee to celebrate National Aboriginal Day and engage with UFCW members and allies working towards Reconciliation.

As part of the day’s events, activists participated in a workshop on Reconciliation led by facilitator Marc St. Dennis. The workshop provided the framework for further dialogue on how UFCW Canada activists and Local Unions can engage in Reconciliation in the workplace.

"We are grateful for the invitation to be here with our Indigenous brothers and sisters to honour National Aboriginal Day,” said President Meinema. “As a progressive and inclusive union family, we are committed to initiatives that reflect the diversity of our union and our communities. This gathering provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Indigenous culture, as well as increase the cultural awareness within our union about Reconciliation and Indigenous issues in Canada," Brother Meinema added.

Students from the UFCW 401-represented Calgary Quest School also took part in the event by creating a Heart Tree for Local 401's meeting space. The Heart Tree is part of the Heart Garden initiative, led by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS), to honour survivors of Canada’s horrific residential school system.

“Honour and respect are at the heart of Reconciliation,” said UFCW Canada Indigenous sub-committee member Eric Flett. “Our union is continually demonstrating its commitment to equality and inclusion by observing events like National Aboriginal Day, and it makes me very proud to be a UFCW Canada member,” he added.

The Calgary event was developed by the UFCW Canada Human Rights, Equity, and Diversity (HRED) department in consultation with UFCW Canada members from Indigenous communities throughout Canada. For more information regarding UFCW Canada's work on Reconciliation, visit www.ufcw.ca/reconciliation.