June 20 2025

Recognized since 1996, National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on June 21. This day was chosen because the week of June 21 also marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year when Mother Earth moves closest to the sun (Mishoom Giizis in Anishinaabemowin, a language spoken by the Algonquin Anishinaabe, the people whose unceded territory NUPGE’s office is built on). This time is significant in many cultures, including among First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

NUPGE is proud to join in recognizing the histories, cultures, resilience, and innovation of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. This year, NUPGE urges its members, both non-Indigenous and Indigenous to be mindful of deficit narratives. Deficit narratives focus on what people don’t have or can’t do, reinforcing stereotypes and perpetuating harm. Acknowledging the colonization and systemic racism Indigenous peoples have been resisting for centuries is a part of truth telling, but reconciliation requires seeing seeing Indigenous history as whole, including the histories before, beyond, and resisting colonization.

According to Tasha Jacko, a member of the Anishinabek Nation, “…Our recent identity is all based around trauma and that’s how people view us. … We’re not just all about trauma. A lot of us are reconnecting Indigenous people, to our ceremonies and our duties to the land.“ NUPGE challenges its members to use June 21 as an opportunity to learn more about the people whose territory they are on.

Members can also visit the Government of Canada webpage for more information, including events local to you. You can also use the Government of Canada’s list of resources to learn more.