In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day

Today at LNG Canada, and across the country, we come together to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. Since 1996, this is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the rich heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of all Indigenous People – First Nations, Inuit and Métis people – across Canada.

“National Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity for each one of us, as individuals, to stop and reflect on how we are doing in acknowledging and respecting the rich culture and history of First Nations. In our work, we need to ask if we are doing enough to build respectful and meaningful partnerships.” said Susannah Pierce, Director, Corporate Affairs at LNG Canada.

At LNG Canada, we work hard to advance reconciliation with Indigenous people every day, based on recognition of rights, respect and collaboration and partnership with First Nations who have been involved in our project since the beginning.

Please join us in taking time today to recognize and celebrate Indigenous People involved in our project, in British Columbia and across Canada.

How we are celebrating in our community

National Indigenous Peoples’ Day: “Circle of Unity” (Terrace, BC)

In honour of this day, we are a proud sponsor of the two-day National Indigenous Peoples Day event hosted by the Kermode Friendship Society in Terrace. On Friday, June 21^st, the event at Skeena Mall will begin with a traditional opening by Kitselas and Kitsumkalum and there will be a free barbeque for the community.

On Saturday, June 22^nd, there will be a full day of activities at George Little Park. It will start again with a traditional opening by the Kitselas and Kitsumkalum First Nations and introductions to local dignitaries from Gitxsan, Nisga’a, Haisla, Métis Nation BC and Tahltan. MP Nathan Cullen, Terrace Councillor Brian Downie, Kitimat Mayor Phil Germuth and Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach will also be celebrating in the festivities.

The family-friendly event will showcase First Nations dancers, drummers, live music and a fry bread contest, moose call contest and mascot race. There will also be an honouring ceremony and a moment of silence for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and Residential School Students Circle of Unity Drumming Session.

Guatlap Days (Haisla Nation’s Kitamaat Village, BC)

On Sunday, June 23^rd, at the Haisla’s Guatlap Days event in Kitamaat Village, LNG Canada will be sponsoring bus transportation to and from Kitimat to Kitamaat Village for the matinee viewing of the documentary Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole.

Premiering in 2003, the National Film Board of Canada documentary follows the story of the G’psgolox pole, a traditional mortuary totem pole taken from the Haisla people of Kitamaat Village in 1929. Located 60 years later at the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm, Sweden, the film reveals the long, difficult process of its repatriation. Through interviews of both the Haisla and Swedish communities, it highlights the differences between First Nations traditions and western museum practices.

For community members interested in attending the events, the event details are below.

National Indigenous Peoples Day: Circle of Unity (2-day event)
Day 1
Date: Friday, June 21^st
Time: 11am-1pm
Venue: Skeena Mall, Terrace, BC

Day 2
Date: Saturday, June 22^nd
Time: 1pm – 7pm
Venue: George Little Park, Terrace BC

Haisla Nation’s Guatlap Days: Matinee viewing of Totem – The Return of the G’psgolox Pole
Date: Sunday, June 23^rd
Time: 2pm
Venue: Kitamaat Village