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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 148 Ï NUMBER 324 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, September 24, 2018 Speaker: The Honourable Geoff Regan CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 21681 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, September 24, 2018 The House met at 11 a.m. sentiments vis-à-vis the people of Ottawa-Gatineau, as well as the first responders and all those who were involved in assisting the families who were deeply affected by the events of last Friday. Prayer I am honoured to contribute to this debate. I am pleased to acknowledge that I do so on the traditional unceded territory of the Ï (1100) Algonquin people. [English] The Speaker: Order. Colleagues, the devastating tornadoes of last Ï (1105) Friday have taken an enormous toll on the citizens of Ottawa- [Translation] Gatineau. Many have sustained damage to their homes. Some have even lost everything and must now rebuild their lives, including some employees of the House of Commons. Therefore, I would like I thank the member for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River to take a moment to thank those who have made it possible for us to for introducing this bill. I also thank her for her ongoing work to fulfill our responsibilities as members of Parliament today, the achieve reconciliation. employees who worked over the weekend to ensure that the parliamentary precinct could function safely and effectively, and the [English] dedicated hydro workers and first responders who have accom- plished miracles in restoring power and maintaining order through- The idea behind this bill is to establish a national holiday that will out the affected region. allow Canadians to reflect upon and understand the long and painful history relating to indigenous people. The road to reconciliation [Translation] between Canada and indigenous peoples requires all Canadians to I would also like to express my admiration and appreciation for understand our shared history and acknowledge past wrongs while the national capital region MPs, who have been working non-stop to creating a path forward. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's help their constituents. calls to action provide all Canadians with this renewed path forward for Canada's journey of healing and reconciliation. Many residents of Ottawa and Gatineau were hit hard by Friday's tornadoes. I encourage all those who can lend their neighbours a This bill is inspired by call to action 80, which states: hand to do so. [English] We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to It being 11:05 a.m., the House will now proceed to the honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public consideration of private members' business as listed on today's commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital Order Paper. component of the reconciliation process. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS That is why when the calls to action were released in June 2015, the Prime Minister, who was then the leader of the Liberal Party in [English] opposition, immediately affirmed the unwavering support of the Liberal Party of Canada and our parliamentary caucus for all the BILLS OF EXCHANGE ACT TRC's recommendations and called on the Government of Canada to The House resumed from March 20 consideration of the motion take immediate action to implement them. When the Truth and that Bill C-369, an act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Reconciliation Commission released its final report in December Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Indigen- 2015, the Prime Minister then committed the Government of Canada ous Peoples Day), be read the second time and referred to a to working “...in partnership with Indigenous communities, the committee. provinces, territories, and other vital partners, we will fully Mr. Gary Anandasangaree (Parliamentary Secretary to the implement the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism (Multi- Commission, starting with the implementation of the United Nations culturalism), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I too share and echo your Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” 21682 COMMONS DEBATES September 24, 2018 Private Members' Business This past June, our government supported and passed Bill C-262, The Indian residential school system was a systematic plan to an act to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of remove indigenous children from their homes, families and cultures Indigenous Peoples, also known as UNDRIP. In February, our to facilitate the stated policy of “killing the Indian in the child.” government established a recognition of rights framework, which is a fundamental shift in approach between Canada and indigenous During my tenure on the indigenous affairs committee, we heard peoples. Today, there are over 60 rights recognition tables around the from so many survivors of the residential school system. The country that seek to advance the process of this recognition and member for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou has shared his ultimately self-determination. experience with all of us and has educated all of us in the House of his time in residential schools. Survivors like him continue to Our Prime Minister noted earlier this year that reconciliation calls educate all Canadians of our past but equally, inspire us to do better. upon all of us to confront our past and commit to charting a brighter, more inclusive future. We must acknowledge that centuries of All Canadians have a responsibility to educate themselves about colonial practices have denied the inherent rights of indigenous this dark chapter of our shared history and work toward repairing the peoples. The recognition and implementation of indigenous rights intergenerational damage caused by this appalling policy. will chart a new way forward for our government to work with first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to undo decades of mistrust, This is why our government is unequivocally committed to the poverty, broken promises and injustices. implementation of the TRC calls to action and will be supporting sending this legislation to committee for further study. We have listened and learned, and we will work together to take concrete action to build a better future and a new relationship. Over "Reconciliation is not an Aboriginal problem; it is a Canadian the past three budgets, the government has invested significantly to one." These are words from the Truth and Reconciliation advance the implementation of the calls to action and to support the Commission's report and words that the member from Desnethé— crucial work with our indigenous partners to identify and address Missinippi—Churchill River quoted in her speech when she joint priorities. In fact, progress has already been made on over 80% introduced the bill that we are debating today. I wholeheartedly of the calls to action under federal and/or shared responsibility. agree with this sentiment. However, we know that more must be done and that we need to be held accountable for advancing this crucial work. Healing the damage of residential schools will require the [Translation] sustained action of not only involved governments, but other institutions and all Canadians. The National Council for Reconciliation's interim board of directors presented its final report to the Minister of Crown- The need to achieve reconciliation is a fundamental truth and is Indigenous Relations on June 12. According to the final report, beyond partisan politics. That is why I am so pleased that the recent setting up a national council for long-term reconciliation with motion put forward by the member for Timmins—James Bay calling adequate funding and enabling legislation is important for on the Pope to implement call to action 58 and issue an apology on indigenous peoples, Canadians and the government. The council behalf of the Catholic Church to residential school survivors, their will have to report periodically to ensure ongoing oversight and families and communities passed with the overwhelming support of accountability on implementing the Truth and Reconciliation's calls the House. to action. We look forward to working across party lines to ensure that this [English] legislation fulfills call to action 80 and reflects the “collaboration The National Council for Reconciliation's mandate will be to with aboriginal peoples” contained in its text. advance reconciliation efforts through the development and implementation of a multi-year national action plan for reconcilia- Together, we will chart a path forward that advances reconciliation tion. and builds a stronger future for indigenous peoples and Canadians alike. The conclusion of the final report makes the following poignant Ï (1110) observation: We believe that hope is the first step in reconciliation. We believe hope is the Mr. Kevin Waugh (Saskatoon—Grasswood, CPC): Madam basic building block upon which reconciliation must lay its foundation. We must Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-369, an act to plant and nurture seeds of hope in Indigenous communities and in the greater amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canadian public. Hope gives us the belief that all action matters, no matter how small Canada Labour Code (National Indigenous Peoples Day). and no matter by whom. With trust, Canadians and Indigenous peoples can work together on building a new future, a better future. It all begins with hope. This bill would make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory We also need all Canadians to know what progress is being made. holiday. As a result, about 6% of the labour force would be impacted by this change. This bill would grant a holiday for employees of the The work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has opened federal government and federally regulated businesses only.