Parliament Hill hosting Métis book on Canada Day
Posted on: Jun 27, 2023
For Immediate Release
June 27, 2023
Parliament Hill hosting Métis book on Canada Day
The authors of a new book on Métis recognition and reconciliation are bringing their cross-country tour to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Canada Day.
Patricia Russell and David Wylynko, the authors of The True Canadians: Forgotten Nevermore, will be performing readings from the book at the Indigenous Peoples building at 100 Wellington Street from 10 am to 4 pm on July 1. The book is a tool to educate Canadians, and the authors will be discussing Métis history, culture, and pursuit of nationhood status.
Canada Day revellers can also visit a temporary exhibit at the building about Inuit culture, history, and way of life. Canada Day will be one of the few times the building will be open to the public before it closes for long-term redevelopment before becoming a permanent gathering space for Inuit, Métis, and First Nations.
The event is part of the third leg of the duo’s cross-country book tour, which in June has consisted of book signings in Edmonton and Calgary and online virtual presentations. On National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, the authors did signings at the North Slave Métis Alliance annual fish fry in Yellowknife. The following weekend, they did signings and participated in a short theatrical rendition of the book during the annual Métis Fest event, which was held at Métis Crossing near Smoky Lake, Alberta.
This Thursday, Russell will do readings and signings at Coles Books in Grande Prairie, Alberta, while in Ottawa Wylynko will join host Alan Neal of CBC Radio’s “All in a Day” for a live interview.
The True Canadians chronicles the challenges and achievements of the Métis since their rights were recognized in the Constitution Act of 1982, while providing a retelling of Métis history that corrects traditional colonial accounts. It is punctuated by nearly 200 colour photos and 32 vignettes on major Métis achievements, people, and events.
Published by the Métis Nation of Alberta, the book is distributed by Sandhill Book Marketing Ltd., the most recognized supplier of non-fiction single titles and independently published Canadian books in the industry.
The book has been a bestseller at stores in Winnipeg and Calgary, and has garnered considerable media coverage, including national television segments. At the Indigo flagship store on Bay Street in Toronto, the authors had the opportunity to share stories from the book with Chapters’ founder Heather Reisman.
The tour continues after Canada Day, with the pair venturing to Indigo Books at the Edmonton International Airport for signings July 8, and then Chapters in Victoria, BC on July 15. Plans for additional events, including further performances of the theatrical rendition, are underway.
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For more information, media may contact: Olivia Bako obako@metis.org