We will not be closing for the holiday, Monday September 19th. Here’s why.

Our team has been sitting in the gravity of what we are all living through right now. This includes the privileged, celebratory lens we are inundated with regarding the Queen’s death. We express our condolences to the Royal Family for losing a loved one. However, we cannot take this day to celebrate or mourn the monarchy. A symbol of colonialism and pain to many, the monarchy has enriched a powerful few at the expense of Indigenous populations around the world. We will be open on Monday. The declaration of a holiday impacts our schools and therefore our kids, so we will accommodate our team appropriately.

We know that “nothing changes if nothing changes.” And we prompt ourselves to ask ‘am I going along with something just because it’s always been done this way?” Often the things ‘that have always been done this way’ are rooted in colonial practice, whether we can detect it at first glance or not. These things may have evolved over time, but the core motive to benefit an ‘elite few’ over Indigenous populations remains embedded. We see it in systems across Canada today.

We have an opportunity to be a part of collective change. If you are struggling with how to think and feel about the newest federal holiday we encourage you to check out some of the following articles that helped us reflect on our why. 

Queen Elizabeth II’s Death is a Chance to Examine the Present-day Effects of Britain’s Colonial Past

The questions over the queen’s role in Britain’s violent empire, explained by a historian – Vox

If you are interested in learning more about reconciliation and your role in it, check out some of the following local organizations having an impact. We hope you take the time to sit in the discomfort that comes with uncovering the realities of our history, and what each of us can do with our own privilege to influence necessary change.

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