By Canadian Press

Assembly of First Nations says raise Canada flag alongside ‘every child matters’ flag

Nov 5, 2021 | 10:17 AM

OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations says it has found a solution that would allow the Canadian flag to be raised before Remembrance Day while continuing to grieve Indigenous children who died at residential schools. 

The assembly’s executive passed a motion on Thursday calling for the flag to be raised on all federal buildings on Sunday, alongside an orange “every child matters” flag. 

In a statement, the assembly says it sees the need to honour veterans by lowering the flag on Nov. 11 and it also wants the flag lowered on Monday in honour of Indigenous Veterans Day. 

The assembly wants the orange flag to fly alongside the Canadian flag until all children are recovered and returned to their homelands — physically or symbolically — with proper ceremony. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked for the flag to be lowered in May after the discovery of what are believed to be unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. 

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The government has been consulting with Indigenous groups about raising the flag ahead of Remembrance Day, when it is traditionally lowered to half-mast. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2021.

The Canadian Press