WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2021) Ottawa will soon allow indigenous Canadians to use their traditional Names on official government-issued documents, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said.
The announcement comes as the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau engages in damage control following the discovery of the remains of 215 children on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential school.
"Traditional names are deeply connected to Indigenous languages and cultures, and an individuals' identity and dignity. This change means that Indigenous peoples can proudly reclaim their name, dismantling the legacy of colonialism and reflecting their true identity to the world," Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco Mendicino said in the statement on Monday.
The push to have traditional names included on passports was one of the recommendations of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission report released in 2015.
