Legault Is 'Not In Favour' Of A Statutory Holiday In Quebec Dedicated To Indigenous People

At a press conference on Monday, Quebec Premier François Legault said that he was "not in favour" of instituting a statutory holiday dedicated to Indigenous people, saying Quebec already has a lot of holidays.

"There's still a lot of work to do for reconciliation with Indigenous people," the premier added. "We are coordinating with the federal government to do the necessary research into the residential schools that are here in Quebec."

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On Monday, Premier Legault shared a video on social media to underline National Indigenous Peoples Day.

"Let us reach out and listen to each other to continue to grow our nations in mutual respect," the Instagram post caption reads.

At the press conference, Legault said his government is continuing discussions with First Nations.

"I would like, in an ideal world, to reach an agreement [...] with every Nation," Legault said.

"It's not always simple — these are long discussions." 

In early June, the federal government designated September 30 as the "National Day for Truth and Reconciliation" following the discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former Kamloops residential school.

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society Emergency Crisis Line is available across Canada 24/7. Those who may need support can call 1-866-925-4419.