Chamber News

Mayor Mitch Panciuk is pleased to proclaim today National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the City of Belleville in honour of the national celebration.

On National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. There are a number of activities and initiatives taking place throughout the City in honour of today, and June being National Indigenous History Month.

Glanmore National Historic Site is now hosting a #hopeandhealingcanada display by Métis artist Tracey-Mae Chambers. The installation features intricate premade crochet and knit pieces of red yard which were installed on-site on June 14.

Hope and healing, the guiding themes of Tracey-Mae’s artistic works, refer directly to the artists’ goal of broaching the subjects of decolonization and reconciliation, as a response to the overwhelming discoveries made of the remains of Indigenous children buried at former Residential Schools.

In a time of collective grief from these discoveries, and in a time of global pandemic where society has felt so fractured, Tracey-Mae’s public art pieces are meant to serve as a symbolic reconnection of people, communities and the environment. More information on the #hopeandhealingcanada project is available on her website. Timed-entry admission tickets to view the display at Glanmore are available online.

The Belleville Public Library, in partnership with First Nation Technical Institute, held a “Wampum Belts with Jamie Maracle” event on June 11 in which attendees had the opportunity to learn about the origins of the belts, how they are made and the teachings that they offer.

Also throughout the month, they are featuring various book displays in each part of the library, and highlighting work by Indigenous authors and creators on their social media channels. A list of works is available online.

The library will also be hosting a Fireside Book Club at 6:30 p.m. tonight in honour of National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in which attendees will discuss The Truth About Stories by Thomas King. For more information, visit the Belleville Public Library’s website.

 “Today is a day for all of us to reflect on and celebrate the voices and contributions of Indigenous peoples,” said Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair Councillor Sean Kelly. “While these contributions should be recognized every day, we encourage all residents to take some time today especially to listen, learn and engage in the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is proud to work with our partners at the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte on an ongoing basis regarding a number of initiatives and events including the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event which we return in September. We look forward to building on our relationship and learning all that we can from them.”

For a list of National Indigenous Peoples’ Day resources, including an online activity guide, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/celebrate-canada/indigenous-peoples-day.html