N.L. ditches 'Discovery Day' holiday criticized for erasing Indigenous presence

The Gaspar Corte Real statue on Prince Philip Drive in St. John's NL on Friday, June 12, 2020. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball says the province will review statues and monuments to ensure they reflect modern values. A statue of Gaspar Corte-Real, a Portuguese explorer who kidnapped Indigenous people as slaves in the 16th century, has been criticized for its prominent placement across from the provincial legislature in St. John's. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly)

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador will no longer recognize "Discovery Day," a provincial holiday criticized for its celebration of colonization and erasure of Indigenous history.

It falls on the closest Monday to June 24 to coincide with the date explorer John Cabot is believed to have arrived in Newfoundland in 1497.

The provincial government said Thursday that the name "Discovery Day" is not appropriate, and the day will be referred to as the June Holiday for the time being.

The government says consultations with Indigenous governments and organizations must take place in the meantime "in the spirit of reconciliation regarding this holiday."

Indigenous people have criticized the holiday for years, and city councillors in St. John's voted two years ago to refer to it as "St. John's Day."

The head of a group representing thousands of Inuit people in southern Labrador called on the province this week to drop the name.

NunatuKavut Community Council president Todd Russell raised the issue in a statement that referenced the spirit of global protests against systemic racism.

Premier Dwight Ball says voices in the community are being heard. In a statement, he assured residents that the holiday will still be enjoyable despite the name change.

Ball has also said his government will review statues and monuments across the province to ensure they align with modern values.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2020.