Chief Don Tom of the Tsartlip First Nation on Vancouver Island says heB次元官网网址檚 been known to B次元官网网址減artakeB次元官网网址� in watching fireworks, as a way to bring families together.
But on Canada Day, he wants people to mark the occasion in a different way, perhaps by donating to an Indigenous organization or taking time to learn about First Nation perspectives.
Tom is among those urging a reckoning for fireworks on July 1, to consider what sort of message they send to First Nations communities.
Pyrotechnics are also under pressure on other fronts, as the few minutes of awe they inspire are weighed against their cost, the terror they cause some animals, traffic and overcrowding woes.
B次元官网网址淚 think there are different ways (if you want) to celebrate,B次元官网网址� said Tom, adding that he hoped people would B次元官网网址渆ducate themselves on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 history with Indigenous people.B次元官网网址�
Activist group the Indigenous Foundation also says people shouldnB次元官网网址檛 buy July 1 fireworks and instead should donate the money to Indigenous organizations or residential school survivor funds, an idea that Tom called B次元官网网址渁 great initiative.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭his can make a huge difference, and has a meaningful and lasting impact,B次元官网网址� the foundation says on its website.
Many cities, big and small, across Canada will be staging fireworks displays on Saturday. But some have been reflecting on the need for the display, in light of reconciliation and other concerns.
Calgary announced in May that it was doing away with traditional fireworks in favour of an onstage B次元官网网址渓ight and soundB次元官网网址� show.
B次元官网网址淭he city recognizes the cultural sensitivities around fireworks displays in relation to truth and reconciliation,B次元官网网址� it said in a statement, also noting that July 1 marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act that effectively excluded Chinese migrants from Canada.
B次元官网网址淔or many Calgarians this is a day of mourning or reflection,B次元官网网址� the statement said.
Calgary Coun. Kourtney Penner said on Twitter that doing away with the fireworks B次元官网网址渋snB次元官网网址檛 nonsense.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 being actively anti-racist, working at truth and reconciliation, and being responsive to the diverse community Calgary is,B次元官网网址� said Penner, who did not respond to requests for further comment.
The city also cited disruptive late-night traffic, noise and overcrowding associated with fireworks.
But the plan resulted in a swift backlash, with more than 13,000 people signing a petition to reinstate CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Canada Day fireworks.
The city backed down on June 18 and announced that traditional aerial fireworks would be part of CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 celebrations.
Kristy Koehler, executive director of Common Sense Calgary, an advocacy group that organized the petition, said it was B次元官网网址渨eirdB次元官网网址� to equate fireworks with racism.
Koehler said people in Calgary of all backgrounds enjoy the fireworks, including many newcomers and people whose parents immigrated from other countries.
B次元官网网址淭hey said it was such a wonderful way to feel (about) being part of the country, to feel connected with their neighbours, to go out and enjoy something really wonderful and really fun,B次元官网网址� said Koehler.
B次元官网网址淲e can acknowledge all the ways that weB次元官网网址檝e got it wrong as a country without cancelling an event that brings people together and provides an opportunity for togetherness,B次元官网网址� she added.
Elsewhere, fireworks displays are facing scrutiny on another basis B次元官网网址� their cost.
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 traditional display on the waterfront at Canada Place is no more, after the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority last year decided to permanently discontinue July 1 fireworks.
B次元官网网址淭he fireworks display itself costs in excess of $200,000 each year for a 15-minute show, and other (costs) such as security, equipment and staffing continue to increase,B次元官网网址� authority spokesman Alex Munro wrote in an email.
Munro said the Canada Place Corporation had previously funded the event with support from sponsors, grants and partners.
Another perennial concern relates to the impact of fireworks on pets.
Lesley Fox, executive director of the B.C. animal advocacy group Fur-Bearers, said fireworks B次元官网网址渃reate havocB次元官网网址� for wildlife, pets, and individuals living with post-traumatic stress.
She said fireworks can startle and disorient wildlife, causing them to flee the safety of their habitats.
B次元官网网址淚 think the message is, fireworks are not for everyone,B次元官网网址� said Fox.
Fur Bearers is supporting a petition to Parliament calling on the Federal government to stop using fireworks at celebrations, citing the effect on animals as well as air pollution and the use of toxins in fireworks.
Aleem Kanji, chief advocacy officer for the Canadian National Fireworks Association, said fireworks are B次元官网网址渋ngrainedB次元官网网址� into Canadian celebrations, from sporting events to Halloween, and are part of the countryB次元官网网址檚 rich fabric.
Canada Day, he said, was an B次元官网网址渆xciting timeB次元官网网址� for fireworks manufacturers and suppliers.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 almost akin, if you will, to Christmas trees around the festive Christmas holiday season,B次元官网网址� said Kanji.
He said itB次元官网网址檚 important to consider how many people enjoy fireworks, compared to the number complaining about them.
The display on Parliament Hill can draw a crowd of 30,000, said Kanji, and VancouverB次元官网网址檚 annual Celebration of Light fireworks contest attracts hundreds of thousands.
Fox said her group understood B次元官网网址渘ostalgiaB次元官网网址� around fireworks and they donB次元官网网址檛 want to be B次元官网网址減arty poopers.B次元官网网址�
But, she said, there are more ethical and inclusive ways to celebrate Canada Day.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, fireworks are unnecessary and they are replaceable. I think there is an opportunity here to explore that a little further (about) what could our holidays look like and how can we make them more inclusive for all, including animals,B次元官网网址� said Fox.
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