Submitted by: Glen Lipinski, MNO Community Relations Coordinator
Aboriginal Day celebration in Welland. (Left to right) Paul Grenier, Councillor
City of Welland and MNO citizen;Derrick Pont, President of the MNO Niagara
Region Métis Council; Senator Garry Laframboise; Barry Sharpe, Mayor of
Welland; and Glen Lipinski, MNO Community Relations Coordiinator.
On June 21, Métis from across the homeland celebrated National Aboriginal Day, a day to celebrate culture and heritage and to remember the contributions made by Aboriginal peoples to Canada.
National Aboriginal Day is an opportunity for Métis and other Aboriginal people to remind fellow Canadians of the very important contributions made by Métis, First Nations and Inuit peoples to this country.
Local Aboriginal Day celebrations are a great opportunity to showcase what it means to be Métis. Being so, Aboriginal Day events were held by many Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) communities across the province including Welland who held a Métis picnic at Memorial Park, Owen Sound who hosted the MNO Canoe Expedition and MNO organized events in Timmins, Kingston and Pembroke.
Local officials also joined in on the celebrations. Welland Mayor Barry Sharpe attended the Métis Picnic event and joined the MNO Niagara Region Métis Council for food and celebrations. In Owen Sound, Mayor Deborah Haswell joined the MNO Great Lakes Métis Council in welcoming the MNO Canoe Expedition.
It was a great day of celebrations surrounded by loved ones and friends.