The Government of Prince Edward Island, on behalf of all Islanders, is pleased to observe today as National Aboriginal Day.
In 1996, the Governor General declared June 21 National Aboriginal Day: a time for all Canadians to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Aboriginal peoples to Canadian society.
Aboriginal peoples are descendants of the original inhabitants of Canada. The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples: Indians (First Nations), Inuit and Metis. Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
Premier Pat Binns stated, "Although we live every day in awareness and appreciation of our fellow citizens the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, the special observance today is an invitation to deepen our knowledge of, and respect for, their contribution to all aspects of Canadian society."
Honourable Jeffrey Lantz, Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs agrees. "I am very pleased with the work that has been done with the Aboriginal Community and the Office of the Attorney General in the past year especially in developing an Aboriginal Community Justice Program. I believe that this program can be the foundation for working together to address issues and assisting Aboriginal communities and organizations in developing the resources to deal with issues on a local level."