The provincial government has declined a request from Indigenous groups to quit the observance of Discovery Day. However, Memorial University has stricken the designation from its calendar.
The NunatuKavut Community Council calls it a day that perpetuates colonialist policies with a legacy that has detrimentally impacted NunatuKavut Inuit for generations.
Memorial University announced today that it has replaced Discovery Day on its calendar with June Day.
Memorial University will no longer refer to its June holiday as Discovery Day. Instead, the June 24 holiday will be called June Day. President Timmons said the name Discovery Day failed to recognize historical realities. #Reconciliation
— Memorial University (@MemorialU) June 17, 2020
President Vianne Timmons says Discovery Day had unacceptable colonial associations failing to recognize Indigenous peoples and historical realities.
A VOCM Question of the Day on the topic gathered over 9,400 votes, and resulted in about 65 per cent voting in favour of continuing with the status quo. Just over 20 per cent preferred ending observance of Discovery Day, and the remainder liked government’s idea of consultation and review before making a decision.
