Recently, this country established a federal statutory holiday on September 30 each year, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, in connection with the desire to advance the commitment to reconciliation.
Observed in many parts of the country over the past several years as Orange Shirt Day, in memory of the special shirt removed from Phylllis Webstad on her first day of residential school at age six in Williams Lake, B.C., the new holiday is meant to be one of reflection and learning.
In line with federal statutory guidelines for federal workers to have the day off, Payments Canada and the Bank of Canada announced they would close their operations, and all federally regulated banks have followed, with plans to close their offices and branches.
Since Central 1 is not a federally regulated organization, the decision required consultation with members, employees and partners to decide how to recognize the day. We learned that more than 60 per cent of our members are closing, with many of you looking to us for guidance. Putting the needs of our members first, as well as our operational capabilities and our alignment to our own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, Central 1 will observe September 30 as a holiday, and all offices will be closed.
Supporting Indigenous reconciliation is an important part of being a socially responsible organization; it aligns with our goal of positively influencing our local communities.
Central 1 is here to support credit unions in meeting their business needs, and we support the system’s commitment to cooperative values, which include diversity. Central 1 will look to ensure our approach to recognize the day internally builds opportunities for the Central 1 team to listen and learn leading up to September 30 and beyond.
Specific communications to members and clients regarding holiday processes in Payments, Treasury or other departments will be posted through the usual channels for those products and services.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact memberrelations@central1.com.