It's Emancipation Day in Canada

    Tuesday, 1 August 2023 07:00

    By Tonya Organ

    On March 24, 2021, the House of Commons voted unanimously to officially designate August 1 Emancipation Day

    This is Emancipation Day in celebration of the abolishment of slavery, which was an act that was passed and went into effect on August 1st, 1834. Ngozi Paul is the director of a new CBC documentary, called FreeUp! She says there have been over 200 years of slavery in Canada. “This was the abolishment of slavery across the British Empire, and Canada being a part of the commonwealth, there is recognition in other countries where there were larger black populations,” she says. “We want to hold on to the idea that Canada was the place where everyone escaped to.” Paul says the documentary is being released today, and she expects it will get a lot of attention. On March 24, 2021, the House of Commons voted unanimously to officially designate August 1 Emancipation Day

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