A petition supported by a number of famous Canadian authors, actors, musicians and politicians wants to change the name of Victoria Day to “Victoria and First Peoples Day”

By Mick Sweetman
Dialog Staff

“Their Majesties greet chieftains of the Stoney Indian Tribe, who have brought a photo of Queen Victoria.” Calgary, Canada, May 26, 1939
Photo: Library and Archives Canada

Over 800 people, including author Margaret Atwood, Green Party leader Elizabeth May, Inuk musician Susan Aglukark and six other prominent Canadians, have signed a petition as of this writing asking Stephen Harper to change the name of Victoria Day to “Victoria and First Peoples Day“.

The petition says, “by doing so, all in Canada would have the opportunity to celebrate our continuing relationship with the Crown and with the Indigenous peoples of Canada.”

A national holiday in Canada, Victoria Day is named after Queen Victoria who was the longest-reigning monarch in British history ruling from June 20, 1837 until her death on Jan. 22, 1901.

Victoria Day is celebrated on the Monday before May 25.

National Patriots Day is marked in Quebec on the same day, commemorating the 1837 rebellion against the British. The holiday day was initiated in 2003. Before 2003, the unofficial “Fête de Dollard” had been marked since the 1920s coinciding with Victoria Day.