Re: "Canada Day fireworks postponed," The Gazette, June 23.
In their hasty decision during times of high emotion, St. Albert city council seems to be making an honest attempt at showing solidarity by cancelling Canada Day celebrations on the very day we can finally come together to celebrate a year of hell. But then, timing is everything.
But what they seem to be oblivious of, is that this move might actually make things worse, not better.
Canada Day is a celebration of unity, which is the very goal of reconciliation.
There have been years of reconciliation in the works, even prior to 2015 when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published its findings and 94 calls to action.
It is unfortunate it took a grim revelation of the unmarked graves of Indigenous children to bring the events of our past to the forefront of people's minds. Showing their outrage now only reveals they weren’t listening up until this point, however, it is better late than never.
But showing outrage does little good and likely a lot of harm toward reconciliation. Attacking a symbol of unity will divide us.
Brent Heit, St. Albert
