July 1st, Canada Day, is a national holiday marking the anniversary of Confederation in 1867, when the British North America Act came into effect. It was originally known as Dominion Day until it was renamed in 1982. www.canada.ca
August 1st Emancipation Day, celebrates the end of slavery in the British Empire. Ancestors of Ontario’s Black community were one of the founding communities of Ontario and Canada. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/08e25
First Monday in September, Labour Day is an occasion to campaign for and celebrate workers' rights during parades and picnics organized by trade unions. www.labourcouncil.ca
The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. www.un.org
September 30th, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Orange Shirt Day, is a day when we honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada and learn more about the terrible history of those schools. www.orangeshirtday.org
October is Women's History Month in Canada, marking the beginning of an annual month-long celebration of the outstanding achievements of women throughout Canada’s history. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/womens-history-month.html
October is Islamic History Month. Islamic history and culture encompass a broad range of individual and collective experiences, as well as important contributions to literature, math, science, art and history. https://www.islamichistorymonth.ca/
November 20th, Transgender Day of Remembrance, is an annual observance that honours the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. https://www.queerevents.ca/tdor
November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, was established to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler. https://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday
December 1st, World AIDS Day, is dedicated to increasing awareness of HIV/AIDS issues worldwide as we support the UNAIDS visionary goal to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. https://www.catie.ca/world-aids-day
