Manitoba sets aside Aug. 1 as Emancipation Day
Manitoba has officially set aside August 1 as 'Emancipation Day' for Manitobans to reflect on slavery in Canada.
Jamie Moses, NDP MLA for St. Vital, celebrated the passage of his Emancipation Day Act bill in the Manitoba Legislature on Friday.
August 1 marks the day in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act took effect in the British Empire. Moses said he hopes Emancipation Day will be joyous and a day for reflection.
"So that all Manitobans can celebrate in the joy of Emancipation Day and make sure that they're taking that opportunity to make our communities better," Moses said.
The local community hopes it helps shed light on slavery in Canada and leads to a more inclusive future.
"It is going to be about hope. It is going to be about education. It is going to be about enhancing multiculturalism, and it's going to be about creating a broader path to reconciliation for all of us in Manitoba," said Segun Olunde, a community activist.
Black History Manitoba hopes the day also pushes the province to take another look at its policies, and the way the history of slavery in Canada is taught in schools.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.