New statutory truth and reconciliation holiday: September 30

General Updates

Jun 4, 2021

On June 3, the Senate unanimously passed Bill C-5 introducing a statutory holiday to commemorate victims of the dark legacy of residential schools in Canada. After receiving Royal Assent, September 30, 2021, will now become the first of an annual national day for truth and reconciliation as confirmed by OCHRO.

Bill C-5 creates a new statutory holiday on September 30 each year that will apply to all ACFO-ACAF members under each classification’s collective agreement as “one additional day when proclaimed by an act of Parliament as a national holiday”:

CT-EAV (AU collective agreement): Article 12.01(l)
CT-FIN (FI collective agreement): Article 22.01(l)
CT-IAU (AS collective agreement): Article 30.02(l)
NAV Canada FI collective agreement: Article 25.01(l)

This national day is one step towards justice for Indigenous communities across Canada, but many additional steps must be taken and additional work must be done. We hope to see movement on the remaining 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Treasury Board is expected to communicate with employees early next week regarding the national day. In the meantime, should you have any questions about paid holidays or your collective agreement, please contact labourrelations@acfo-acaf.com.