Proclamations 2023

March

Woman, Life, Freedom Month

WHEREAS: According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable of all members of the human family, is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world; and

WHEREAS: All individuals according to the Canadian Human Rights Act, deserve liberty to enjoy life and respect of their human and civil rights, which are accorded to citizens in a free and democratic society regardless of race, creed, or gender identity; and

WHEREAS: Alongside millions of people worldwide, the Iranian-Canadian community of St. John’s is proud of having weekly gatherings since September 2022 in support of the courageous demonstrations of Iranian women and men—many of whom are being killed or arrested and tortured—for their fundamental human rights, with the rallying cry of Woman, Life, Freedom; and

WHEREAS: Many International Women's day events including Solidarity with the brave women of Iran happening on March 8 at Memorial University, St. John’s campus;

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim the month of March as the Woman, Life, Freedom Month in the City of St. John’s.

Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month

WHEREAS: On average, 11 Canadians are diagnosed with myeloma every single day; and

WHEREAS: According to a recent Statistics Canada report, the incidence of myeloma is now increasing at higher rate than any other type of cancer for males, and at the second highest rate for females; and

WHEREAS: Obesity and chemical exposure are important risk factors that contribute to the increasing number of cancer cases in the country; and

WHEREAS: We need to make sure more Canadians are aware of this devastating disease, so that the increasing number of new myeloma cases can be more easily detected, treated earlier, and that people living with myeloma can live longer and better lives; and

WHEREAS: Together we can raise awareness for this disease that has taken the lives of too many Canadians;

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim March 2023 as Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month in the City of St. John’s.

Easter Seals Month

WHEREAS: Approximately 100,000 people of all ages in our province live with disabilities such as physical, sensory, cognitive, or other disabilities that present barriers to full participation in society;

WHEREAS: Easter Seals Newfoundland & Labrador is a charitable organization with a vision for a community where all people with disabilities live full, healthy, and active lives. A mission to engage, inspire, and maximize opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages by providing meaningful programs and services;

WHEREAS: Easter Seals NL’s Recreation Programs help those with disabilities explore what they can do, through independence camps, art and music therapy, and adaptive sports, promoting full, active and healthy, socially engaged lifestyles;

WHEREAS Easter Seals NL offers Career and Educational Services to assist those with barriers to employment in successfully transitioning from home and school into adulthood and independence with a focus on preparing for, obtaining, and maintaining gainful employment; 

WHEREAS Easter Seals NL ‘I Can Too’ Disability Awareness Program activities foster disability awareness and sensitivity, and provide tools for accessibility and inclusion; 

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim March as Easter Seals Month in the City of St. John’s. (Signed at City Hall, St. John’s, NL March 6, 2023)

World Lymphedema Day

WHEREAS: Lymphedema is a chronic and debilitating disease, characterized by an accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes swelling of the arms, legs or other areas of the body and which can cause disfigurement, disabilities, discomfort, pain and distress and impair quality of life; and 

WHEREAS: Patients with lymphedema may struggle with pain and swelling, may have recurring severe infection cause by lymphedema, and may experience financial and psychological strains due to the difficulties of managing their disease; and 

WHEREAS: while there are cases of primary lymphedema that are inherited, most cases are secondary that developed as a result of trauma, infection, surgery, radiation therapy or removal of lymph nodes, including cancer treatment; and 

WHEREAS: gaps in research, education and effective treatments exist, and more knowledge about lymphedema is needed to achieve timely diagnosis, management and care and to develop more effective treatments; and 

WHEREAS: lymphedema is estimated to affect 2.8% of the population, or 14,800 people in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and 

WHEREAS: the Lymphedema Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is a registered charity, dedicated to ensuring all lymphedema patients have access to information, support and treatment, thereby promoting healthy and hopeful living with lymphedema; and  

WHEREAS: March 6 of each year is internationally recognized as World Lymphedema Day to raise awareness about this disease and the treatment options available; 

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim March 6, 2023 as World Lymphedema Day in the City of St. John's.

Purple Day for Epilepsy

WHEREAS:  Purple Day is a global effort to promote Epilepsy Awareness in countries around the world, and; 

WHEREAS:  Purple Day was founded by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, who wanted to let people know that if you have epilepsy you are not alone, and

WHEREAS: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder, which affects each person differently, estimated to affect more than 10,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador, over 300,000 people in Canada, and 50 million people worldwide; and

WHEREAS: One in ten persons will have at least one seizure during their lifetime; 

WHEREAS: The public is often unable to recognize common seizure types, and unable to respond with appropriate first aid; and 

WHEREAS: Purple Day will be celebrated on March 26th annually to increase understanding, reduce stigma, and improve the quality of life for people living with epilepsy throughout the country and globally; 

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim March 26, 2023 as Purple Day in an effort to raise awareness and understanding of Epilepsy, and to support all those who live with seizures each day.

February

Black History Month

WHEREAS: Black History Month is an internationally recognized annual celebration designed to highlight and recognize the actions, achievements and contributions of Black people around the world.

WHEREAS: We currently live on unceded Indigenous territory, and Black Lives Matter NL knows that as there is no Black liberation on stolen land; and

WHEREAS: Black Lives Matter NL asks the City of St. John’s to recognize and strengthen the historical relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the Black community; and

WHEREAS: Black people have been a part of Canada, since the early 1600’s, and have contributed to the country’s and province’s growth, despite the presence of systemic anti-Black racism and other forms of systemic oppression;

WHEREAS: The City of St. John’s recognizes the significant cultural, social, political and economic contributions that Black people continue to make to the City of St. John’s and across the province.

WHEREAS: Black Lives Matter NL is a non-profit organization that fights against anti-Black racism, supports the Black community of Newfoundland and Labrador, fosters Black-centric networks, and works towards liberation from all state-sanctioned forms of oppression, injustice violence and brutality against vulnerable and marginalized communities; and

WHEREAS: We ask that The City of St. John’s and community partners of BLMNL pledge to host inclusive events and activities which focus on celebrating Black peoples within the province in the month of February and throughout the year; and

WHEREAS: BLMNL also pledges to host online events, such as ‘Coils, Curls and Conversations: Redefining Our Standards of Beauty’ designed to celebrate the multiplicity of Black people and cultures in NL, as well as educate and create awareness about racism, colourism and texturism; and

WHEREAS: The City recognizes that proclaiming February as Black History Month is only one small step in the long journey towards dismantling systemic racism and oppression of Black people and other marginalized groups in our community, and thus The City of St. John’s commits to take more steps towards this goal; and

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February as Black History Month in the City of St. John’s. Signed at City Hall, St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on February 2, 2023. 

Violence Prevention Month

WHEREAS: the Violence Prevention Initiative of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is based on a vision that the people of our province will live in safe, caring communities, where there is an inherent respect for each other, and violence of any sort is unacceptable; and

WHEREAS: the solution to eradicating violence against those most at risk in our society—women, children, and youth, Aboriginal women and children, persons with disabilities, older persons, and others who are victims of violence because of ethnicity, sexual orientation, or economic status—is through a collaborative effort between the Provincial Government and the community to improve services and to educate all residents of our province about violence prevention; and

WHEREAS: the City of St. John’s, with its community partners has been working to improve services to victims of violence and violence prevention programs for many years; and,

WHEREAS: the City of St. John’s promotes self-reliant, healthy, educated individuals and families living in safe, nurturing communities; and

WHEREAS: the City of St. John’s has made a commitment to partner with the community to seek long-term solutions to violence;

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February as Violence Prevention Month in the City of St. John’s, February 6, 2023.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week

WHEREAS: An Eating Disorder is a serious mental illness with often devastating physical implications; and

WHEREAS: Eating Disorders affect many individuals and families in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS: Recovery from an eating disorder is a journey that includes support from families and caregivers; and

WHEREAS: The Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is the leading advocacy group dedicated to promoting support, treatment services, and providing public support services and information about matters related to eating disorders throughout the province; and

WHEREAS: February 1–7, 2023, is dedicated across Newfoundland and Labrador and the entire country as a special time when many educational and awareness activities take place to help raise the level of understanding of Eating Disorder Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery; and

WHEREAS: The theme for Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2023 is “Transforming the Narrative from Asks to Action”;

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February 1, 2023 as Eating Disorders Awareness Week in the City of St. John’s. Signed at City Hall, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on this Thirtieth day of January 2023.

International Walk and Wheel to School Day

WHEREAS: The City of St. John’s recognizes that February is International Winter Walk and Wheel to School month (iWALK-iWHEEL). iWALK-iWHEEL gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of active transportation; and

WHEREAS: The City of St. John’s Recreation Division has celebrated iWALK-iWHEEL for 13 years, and would like to continue to bring awareness to this event in our community; and

WHEREAS: In recognition of iWALK-iWHEEL 2023, the City of St. John’s is encouraging all students in St. John’s to participate by walking or wheeling to school on February first . The City of St. John’s is supporting this initiative by encouraging schools to host school walks and providing brochures containing safe walking tips to distribute to students, and resource packages for teachers to encourage walking and wheeling to school. Furthermore, City of St. John’s After School Programs are participating by providing participants with the opportunity to walk and wheel after school; and

WHEREAS: By walking and wheeling to and from school, students can experience firsthand how easy it is to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily lives;

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February 1, 2023 as International Walk & Wheel to School Day in the City of St. John’s. 

Signed at City Hall, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on January 30, 2023.

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

WHEREAS International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is an opportunity to honour everyone— including women, girls, boys, men and gender diverse people—who is actively and courageously working towards an end to this harmful practice, and

WHEREAS 4.1 million girls are still at risk of mutilation each year, including girls in Canada, and WHEREAS female genital mutilation (FGM) is an issue in more than 90 countries on every continent except Antarctica, and there are at least 200 million FGM survivors in the world, including an estimated 100,000 or more survivors in Canada, and

WHEREAS FGM has no benefits and causes only harm, including death, difficulties with urination, menstruation and sexual intimacy; post-traumatic stress disorder, gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia and increased maternal and child mortality—and is recognized by the United Nations and other global organizations as child abuse and an abuse of a girl’s fundamental human rights, and

WHEREAS International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate all national and international efforts, especially grassroots efforts, to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which calls for the elimination of FGM and other harmful practices by 2030, and

WHEREAS the city of St. John’s, in the Province of Newfoundland Labrador supports the human rights of women and girls so they can live a life free from the violence that is female genital mutilation;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that February 6, 2023, shall be known as International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

Wear Red Canada Day

WHEREAS: Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide and the leading cause of premature death for Canadian women, a fact unknown to many women and their healthcare providers; and 

WHEREAS: The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance is an organization of volunteer health professionals and patients working hard to improve women’s heart health; and 

WHEREAS: Wear Red Canada Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness for all Canadians, but especially Canadian women, to be mindful, curious, and proactive in the management of their heart health and wellness; and 

WHEREAS: We want to see better prevention, diagnosis, and care and fewer women dying prematurely from heart disease; 

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February, 13, 2023 Wear Red Canada Day in the City of St. John’s. 

Signed at City Hall, St John’s, NL February 13, 2023. 

Heritage Day and Week

WHEREAS: The third Monday in February is recognized nationally as Heritage Day; and 

WHEREAS: Heritage Day and Heritage Week are a time to reflect on the achievements of past generations and to accept responsibility for protecting our heritage; and 

WHEREAS: Our citizens should be encouraged to celebrate Newfoundland and Labrador’s uniqueness and to rejoice in our heritage and environment; and 

WHEREAS: In 2023 the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador will celebrate our rich and diverse heritage; 

THEREFORE: I, Mayor Danny Breen, do hereby proclaim February 20, 2023 as Heritage Day and February 20th-26th as Heritage Week in the City of St. John’s, and call upon all citizens to celebrate the richness of our past and the promise of our future. 

Signed at City Hall, St. John’s, NL February 20, 2023.