VICTORIA - The Province has provided $110,000 to Aboriginal organizations to support National Aboriginal Day celebrations tomorrow throughout British Columbia, announced Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister Michael de Jong.

"National Aboriginal Day is a day for Canadians and British Columbians to recognize the diversity of Aboriginal culture and the unique contributions Aboriginal people make throughout our province," said de Jong. "The funds we are providing will help Aboriginal organizations hold local events and celebrations in communities around B.C."

Proclaimed a national day of recognition by the Governor General of Canada in 1996, June 21 has become a day to celebrate the significant contributions made by Aboriginal people to the history, culture and economy of our province and country.

The Province has provided $75,000 to the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC); $15,000 to the First Peoples' Heritage, Language and Culture Council (FPHLCC); and $10,000 to the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC).

"Through the generous support of the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Aboriginal Friendship Centres throughout B.C. are celebrating National Aboriginal Day on June 21," said Grace Nielsen, BCAAFC president. "This is a great opportunity for a coming together of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, to honour and celebrate Aboriginal cultures and to work together towards a better future for all of our people."

"We are pleased to work in partnership with employees of the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation inhosting an afternoon cultural celebration at the Gorge Waterway on June 21," said Lou-ann Neel, FPHLCC. "We are also honoured that both the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations will be joining us for these celebrations."

"National Aboriginal Day is an important day for the Métis Nation," said Bruce Dumont, MNBC president. "It enables our Nation to showcase who we are and educate the public at large. The Métis Nation British Columbia and our Métis communities in B.C. are working to increase Métis awareness throughout the province."

The Province is also providing $10,000 to the Aboriginal Art & Culture Celebration Society, who is hosting an entertainment-filled, week-long event at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

"The Aboriginal Art and Culture Celebration Society is proud to be a part of the ongoing relationship between Aboriginal peoples and the Province of British Columbia. Through the generous support of Province, we have managed to bring people from around the globe together to learn, teach, share and celebrate the spectacular diverse mix of Aboriginal peoples and cultures," said Donald AhnAhnsisi McIntyre, producer of the National Aboriginal Day Festival at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The Province of British Columbia is building a new relationship with Aboriginal people based on mutual respect, recognition and reconciliation. The Province is committed to concluding treaties and closing gaps in health, housing, education, and economic opportunities, a key component of the Province's Pacific Leadership Agenda.