Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, my prayers and my thoughts are with the people of the member's riding, just as they are with those in my riding of Sydney—Victoria, which is seeing unprecedented rain. In some places it is 200 millimetres of rain. They are seeing bridges coming out and unprecedented flooding. I am glad that we are talking about lessons learned in this House. I am reminded of a lesson from Chief Seattl…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the Conservative government chose to vote against the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the years since, indigenous parliamentarians, including Romeo Saganash and I, among others, have worked diligently to rectify this mistake, resulting in our government's tabling and passing of Bill C-15. On National Indigenous Peoples Day, c…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, despite making up only 4% of the population, indigenous women and girls represented 28% of the homicides perpetuated against women in 2019. Two years ago, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report and calls for justice, which called for a national action plan to end the violence. Last week, contributing partners from across Can…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the principles of what the member has said. One of the things I feel indigenous people have found strength in is returning to their languages and to their cultures. Whatever buildings exist, those are just structures. The real power is within themselves, within their language, within their spirituality and within practices and ceremonies that our ancestors passed down for…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments, but I have to disagree with his entire premise. UNDRIP, which is what Bill C-15 was based on, was the most comprehensive document that had nation states and indigenous peoples at the table for more than 40 years to create consensus, including Assembly of First Nations, ITK, MNC. Every single indigenous organization and government supported Bill C-15…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Beaches—East York. By now, Canadians are deeply saddened and disturbed with the recent discovery in Kamloops of the bodies of 215 children at the Indian residential school. I have spoken in the House before about the TRC findings that one in 25 children who went to these schools did not come home. In comparison, one in 26 soldiers who serv…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I would like to thank the member for her passion and advocacy, not only today, but on Bill C-15 and her unwavering commitment to UNDRIP. It is an amazing honour to be able to ask a fellow indigenous person questions in the House when dealing with indigenous people in the House of Commons. We have heard of sad and tragic events like this for generations within our indigenous communitie…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I noticed the member mentioned he would like to see us accelerate the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action 71 through 76, but I am wondering about number 57, which is the recommendation on UNDRIP. Will he ask Conservative senators to support Bill C-15 and do what he can to help us ensure that all indigenous people are guaranteed equal human rights, as every other Canadi…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, June is National Indigenous History Month. Now, more than ever, we ask Canadians to celebrate and create awareness of the history, heritage and diversity of indigenous peoples in Canada. It is also an opportunity to recognize the strength and resilience of indigenous communities. We recognize the importance of indigenous knowledge, culture and ceremonies that occur during this time, c…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have stated in the House that Bill C-15 helps us turn the chapter on the horrible legacy that has been left to us by the Indian Act. Bill C-15, UNDRIP and all the recommendations within UNDRIP, helps us get past what colonial governments thought about how we should govern ourselves. It gives us the ability to look at what indigenous people have put forward over 40 years, working wit…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, 50 years ago today, on a tragic night in my riding, the life of Sandy Seale, a young Black man, was taken, and a young Mi’kmaq named Donald Marshall Jr. spent 11 years in jail for a murder he did not commit. The inquiry into these events later found that the criminal justice system failed Donald Marshall Jr. at virtually every turn. Can the Minister of Justice inform the House what …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work at INAN. I am glad the member brought up the need for education to be part of reconciliation moving forward. We all know that provincial governments are in control of their own curriculum. However, could the member speak to the important education and awareness that we need to create around the indigenous residential schools and how the go…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mi'kmaq Kina'matnewey, MK, a leader and a trailblazer for indigenous-led education initiatives across the country. MK oversee the education of young Mi'kmaq in 12 of the 13 first nations communities across Nova Scotia. Bringing together chiefs, parents, educators and an amazing staff, this Mi'kmaq-led education system is a model for institutions created by…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, entitled “Implementation of the Mi'kmaw and Maliseet Treaty Right to Fish in Pursuit of a Moderate Livelihood”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. I thank all the witnesses …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, during the statements, you had indicated that one should be wearing their jacket and a tie. It must have been my posture or camera angle; I was wearing a beaded medallion, which was gifted to me by the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in Saskatchewan. I believe on previous occasions you have ruled that this was appropriate and allowed in the House. I think it is especially important,…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, reconciliation is a journey of many steps: closing the infrastructure gap, supporting indigenous economies through this pandemic and connecting indigenous economies with the world. Throughout the pandemic, indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada have received $38 million in flexible funding through the indigenous communities support fund and more than $9 million through the communit…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, Cape Breton has lost one of its trailblazers and a pillar of the community. Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk was the first Black graduate from the Nova Scotia Hospital School of Nursing. She would go on to become the first and only Black president of the Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia. She served as director of the Education Services at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and pl…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, people across my home province of Nova Scotia came together to remember the lives of those who were taken from us far too soon. Despite all the hurt and pain, we remain Nova Scotia strong. As we continue to grieve together, we are thankful for the support we have received from Canadians. Their kindness and generosity will not be forgotten. Today, we remember those 22 lives …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, It is a difficult question, because I want Conservatives to be on board with this. I want Conservatives to want to give indigenous people human rights. The delays, tactics and talking about vetoes; it is baseless. It has been pointed out by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond that it is fearmongering to suggest that we somehow would slow down the economy by getting the most basic human rights. T…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I started off my speech on the premise that it has been 400 years. We can look at the past, and we should look at the past. However, the best time to implement these rights is right now. That is what we have in front of us, the ability to take those strides that no government has taken before. I ask my learned colleague from the Bloc to join with us in not delaying, for any more time,…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, indeed, I agree with my colleague's assessment. The notion that indigenous people are anti-development is wrong. Indigenous people want to see development. They want to see Canada grow. However, what we are in favour of is sustainable development, smart development, development that does not jeopardize our future and that of the next seven generations that we are obligated to protect.…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, today, I speak from the Mi'kmaq traditional territory of Unama'ki in the Eskasoni First Nation. It has been over 400 years since my Mi'kmaq ancestors met European travellers on the shores of Mi'kma'ki. This moment thrust generations of transformation and struggle that led to the conflicts, diplomacy and eventually treaties that have shaped Canada and its Constitution. That struggle an…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the member this. Why does he believe that indigenous knowledge, passed down through languages, passed down through generations and enshrined in our teachings as indigenous people that we should live sustainably within our ecosystem while promoting positive development and smart development, is somehow based on Hollywood notions of Avatar and not within our languages, as ha…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I was not sure if it sounded like I said nay, because of the buttons, on the NDP motion. I wonder if it was my screen that may have showed it. I may have inadvertently said something which I did not mean to say. If that was the case, I do want the NDP member to say what the he wanted to say.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move: That, in relation to Motion No. 35 standing in the name of the member for Sydney—Victoria, the order for the deferred recorded division on the amendment of the member for Willowdale to Motion No. 35 be discharged and the amendment be deemed wi…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, when I first presented this motion in the House I spoke about a climate crisis, and the profound threat it represents to our children and our grandchildren. The alarm bells have rung. The United Nations has been adamant about our need to cut our carbon footprint in half globally within 10 years. The scientific evidence is clear. Poll after poll clearly shows that Canadians understan…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the evidence is clear: Indigenous and racialized Canadians are overrepresented in the justice system. Indigenous people account for just 5% of the adult population but 30% of federally incarcerated inmates. This is shameful. However, the Minister of Justice has recently tabled a critical piece of legislation, which includes reforms that will help address the overrepresentation of indi…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today I present a petition signed and supported by over 8,000 Canadians. The impact of COVID-19 has been harshly felt by our local regional airports, including the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport. The petitioners call on the House to provide urgent financial support to our air industry so that our air carriers can re-establish commercial air service to airports across the country an…
Read full speech →