Reconciliation sparks a reckoning for Canada Day fireworks displays

 By Nono Shen THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER- Chief Don Tom of the Tsartlip First Nation on Vancouver Island says he’s been known to “partake” in watching fireworks, as a way to bring families together. But on Canada Day, he wants people to mark the occasion in a different way, perhaps by donating to an Indigenous organization or taking time to learn about First Nation perspectives. Tom is among those urging a reckoning for fireworks on July 1, to consider what sort of message they send to First Nations communities. Pyrotechnics are also under pressure on other fronts, as the few minutes of awe they inspire are weighed against their cost, the terror they cause some animals, traffic and overcrowding woes. “I think there are different ways (if you want) to…

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