B.C. man donates his pay for national reconciliation ‘holiday,’ then launches national campaign

A Vancouver resident who determined to donate a day’s pay on the primary National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has sparked a motion that’s raised greater than $45,000 for Indigenous organizations.

Joshua Hensman, a metropolis authorities employee, stated he determined to donate a day’s price of earnings as a result of he felt “conflicted” about being paid for the nationwide vacation on Sept. 30.

“I used to be a comparatively privileged white man and I used to be going to be getting a paid break day on a day that was speculated to be recognizing and honouring Indigenous peoples, and that simply didn’t appear proper to me,” Hensman stated.

Shortly after he made the decision to donate his personal wage to Indigenous organizations, Hensman determined to encourage others to do the identical.

He based the One Day’s Pay marketing campaign, which according to its website, is an “invitation to all Canadians to meaningfully acknowledge this new federal statutory ‘vacation’ with greater than reflection.”

Within the single week that it’s been accepting public donations, Hensman estimates the marketing campaign has raised $50,000.

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“Clearly one particular person donating their day’s pay doesn’t go too far, however I knew there have been a variety of different Canadians that have been feeling the identical method I used to be,” he defined.

“They’d been reflecting and listening to about Indigenous points for a very long time, and possibly felt some frustration or lack of ability to behave, and simply didn’t know what to do.”

All funds raised via One Day’s Pay will go to the Indian Residential College Survivors Society, the Orange Shirt Day/Each Youngster Issues Society, and the Nationwide Affiliation of Friendship Centres.

Hensman has additionally partnered up with the The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, an Indigenous-led group that helps mobilize the “settler philanthropic sector,” and stated response to the One Day’s Pay marketing campaign has been very optimistic.

“It’s necessary that whereas usually we don’t know what to do, giving money to organizations that may use it in a extremely necessary method is a superb factor to do,” he stated.

“That’s not an answer, it’s only a step in the precise course.”

Hensman stated he hopes to deliver the One Day’s Pay marketing campaign again subsequent 12 months, however for the second, is “overwhelmed with all of the assist” from Canadians this 12 months.