Victoria city councillors grappled Thursday with the future of Canada Day celebrations, opting ultimately to nix fireworks from a potential event next year.
Some councillors pushed for a return to a large-scale celebration culminating in fireworks, similar to those in years past, while others suggested a smaller, toned-down daytime event.
Canada Day events across the country have been mired in controversy in recent years, with many protesting what they see as a celebration of the colonization of Indigenous peoples.
“I think fireworks is kind of the exact wrong way to go,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “If there is going to be anything at night, I think it should be a moment of silence when everyone’s expecting fireworks.”
Last summer, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc — previously known as the Kamloops Indian Band — announced the discovery of the first probable unmarked burial sites near a former Kamloops residential school, marking the beginning of a new era, “and we don’t know what that era looks like or where it’s going,” Helps said.
The city decided against creating a one-hour television special for Canada Day in 2021 after the Lekwungen Traditional Dancers declined to participate, as they usually do, while they grieved the Kamloops discovery.
The city has led Canada Day celebrations for the last 15 years for crowds of up to 50,000. The 2019 event, which cost more than $200,000, included family-friendly daytime events and musical performances
Evening fireworks over the Inner Harbour capped off the event.
While most funding has come from corporate sponsors, the city receives substantial funding from Canadian Heritage’s Celebrate Canada program.
City staff asked for council’s direction on how to approach the holiday ahead of the grant application deadline on Nov. 21.
Councillors decided to ask the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations if they’re interested in participating in or co-hosting an event oriented around Indigenous culture that includes an evening portion without fireworks.
Coun. Stephen Andrew said he believes there’s “tremendous support” for a traditional Canada Day celebration based on the response to cancelling this year’s July 1 broadcast. “I would like to see somewhat a return to what we had before, but definitely with inclusive input from all communities that make up our community,” he said.
Coun. Geoff Young also backed a return to an evening event that includes fireworks, saying people will expect a fireworks finale to the day.
Coun. Ben Isitt said the sombre recognition of Canada’s history sparked by the discoveries of unmarked burial sites wasn’t “just a flash in the pan.”
“I think it’s a phase that we’re going to be in as a community for several years at least, including, I think, in the summer of 2022,” he said.
