Debates of the Senate
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DEBATES OF THE SENATE 1st SESSION • 42nd PARLIAMENT • VOLUME 150 • NUMBER 216 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, June 6, 2018 The Honourable GEORGE J. FUREY, Speaker CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates Services: D’Arcy McPherson, National Press Building, Room 906, Tel. 613-995-5756 Publications Centre: Kim Laughren, National Press Building, Room 926, Tel. 613-947-0609 Published by the Senate Available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 5863 THE SENATE Wednesday, June 6, 2018 The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. I first met Dwight over 30 years ago in Nova Scotia, where he served then as the Vice-President of the Native Council of Nova Prayers. Scotia. In 1985, the Supreme Court of Canada had just ruled in its Simon decision, which ultimately asserted and affirmed Mi’kmaq treaty rights for the first time in Canadian history. SENATORS’ STATEMENTS Dwight was one in a small group of Mi’kmaq leaders who were seeking to have our treaty rights recognized and implemented. We were all facing an uphill battle in dealing with DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN the problems with Nova Scotia at the time, and we had been working without success through diplomatic channels. Finally, in Hon. Linda Frum: Honourable senators, on June 3, Iranian the face of continued resistance from the provincial government, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a tweet calling Dwight passionately convinced the Mi’kmaq leadership to for the genocide of the Jewish people. The tweet read, “Our undertake its own peaceful moose harvest protest, resulting in his stance against Israel is the same stance we have always taken. own arrest and that of 15 other Mi’kmaq harvesters. Israel is a malignant cancerous tumour in the west Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated: it is possible and it will In the midst of their lengthy trial, the Nova Scotia Court of happen.” Appeal ruled in another treaty rights case of some Mi’kmaq fishermen that had resulted in the affirmation of the Aboriginal This reprehensible call demonstrates yet again the depravity of right to fish for food. the Iranian regime. Honourable senators, these were not hollow words. Yesterday the Palestinian Authority acknowledged that Dwight got the ball rolling, convinced others to join the Tehran is fully financing and coordinating the deadly Hamas crusade, and the resulting critical mass helped change the future incursions on the Gaza border. This includes the most recent of the Mi’kmaq Nation in Nova Scotia. tactic of attaching fire bombs to kites in Gaza and launching them into Israeli farmland, causing millions of dollars in damage Such passion and determination seem a long way off from and putting Israeli lives at risk. Dwight’s humble beginnings. Born in rural Nova Scotia, he was a high school dropout who, when later choosing to follow a path If this was not troubling enough, in an act of blackmail, the in Indigenous politics, decided to pursue higher education and head of Iran’s atomic agency confirmed that Ayatollah Khamenei obtained a master’s degree in Canadian studies from Carleton ordered officials to step up uranium enrichment if the JCPOA University. nuclear deal fails. His career in Indigenous politics was a prolific one, in his capacity as Vice-President of the Native Council of Nova Scotia, Combined, these recent events should form a strong reminder, as band councillor for his home community of Millbrook First if one was needed, that the current regime in Iran is not one Nation, and then serving a total of four terms as the National worthy of re-engagement negotiations and is not one that should Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. ever be described as moderate. It is clear that the decision of the Government of Canada to sever diplomatic ties in 2013 was the right one. It was while at CAP that Dwight was instrumental in shepherding the case of Daniels v. Canada on behalf of his predecessor at CAP, the late Harry Daniels. Dwight was on the I ask all honourable senators to join me in demanding that the steps of the Supreme Court of Canada the day the court issued its Government of Canada continue to suspend ties with Iran until decision in the Daniels case in 2016 — a truly historic ruling for such time as there is a regime change. non-status and Metis people in Canada. But Dwight’s greatest legacy will be his warmth, his kindness, THE LATE DWIGHT DOREY his mirth and his kind and caring heart. Also, we give thanks for his incredible courage as he bravely faced the scourge of ALS, Hon. Dan Christmas: Honourable colleagues, I rise today to which took him from us far too soon. pay tribute to the memory of the late Dwight Dorey, a fellow Nova Scotian, a proud Mi’kmaq activist and a distinguished He leaves behind his grown children, Crystal and Christopher, leader who made an indelible mark on Indigenous public policy and friends too numerous to number, both at home in Nova in this country. Scotia and here in Ottawa, his home away from home. It has been said that “Life is what happens to you while you’re Godspeed, Dwight Dorey. Wela’lioq. busy making other plans.” I can tell you that pretty much sums up the life and times of Dwight Dorey. [Editor’s Note: Senator Christmas spoke in Mi’kmaw.] 5864 SENATE DEBATES June 6, 2018 You will always live on in the hearts and memories of your majoring in Native studies, she has been the driving force behind Mi’kmaq brothers and sisters. countless workshops and celebrations of Indigenous cultures, including pow-wow demonstrations and sweat lodges. VISITORS IN THE GALLERY • (1410) The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw Kieran McMonagle is a 28-year-old Metis woman and a your attention to the presence in the gallery of Ms. Sonia graduation coach with the Keewatin Patricia District School L’Heureux, Parliamentary Librarian of Canada, who will be Board in western Ontario, whose work supports over retiring later this month. She is accompanied by her spouse, 300 Indigenous students and families. She draws inspiration from Gerry Davies. her making positive change for Indigenous youth, and this year she will see her first cohort of students graduate. On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada. Bryanna Brown, a 20-year-old Inuk woman, has worked with Indigenous groups in her home province of Newfoundland and Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! Labrador, including with the Traditions and Transitions Research Partnership and the Labrador Aboriginal Training Partnership. The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw She is active in her community and has helped to organize an your attention to the presence in the gallery of the Indigenous international Inuit research conference. youth leaders of “Indigenize the Senate 2018”: Colette Trudeau of British Columbia, Spirit River Striped Wolf of Alberta, Rae- Spirit River, Rae-Anne, Amanda, Kieran and Bryanna, Anne Harper of Saskatchewan, Amanda Fredlund of Manitoba, welcome to the Senate of Canada. Theoren Swappie of Quebec, Kayla Bernard of Nova Scotia, Kieran McMonagle of Ontario, Bryanna Brown of Newfoundland VISITORS IN THE GALLERY and Labrador and Ruth Kaviok of Nunavut. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Dyck. The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I wish to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of May Teague and On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Russell Teague. They are the guests of the Honourable Senator Senate of Canada. McCallum. Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada. YOUTH INDIGENIZE THE SENATE 2018 Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! Hon. Lillian Eva Dyck: Honourable senators, it is my pleasure to introduce some very special guests in the gallery YOUTH INDIGENIZE THE SENATE 2018 today. The Aboriginal Peoples Committee is launching the third edition of our Youth Indigenize the Senate program, which Hon. Sandra M. Lovelace Nicholas: Honourable senators, I brings young Indigenous community leaders from across the also would like to rise to welcome the Indigenous youth leaders country to Ottawa so that we can listen to them and learn from who have generously agreed to join us here so we can benefit their experiences. This year they will be helping us with our from their wisdom and experiences. Please excuse me if I committee’s study on the nature of a new relationship between mispronounce your names. I will apologize now. Canada and First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. Theoren Swappie is an 18-year-old First Nations man who Spirit River Striped Wolf is a 24-year-old First Nations man overcame a difficult upbringing to become a role model for from Alberta and a political science student at Mount Royal young people in his community in northern Quebec. He works at University in Calgary. He is an advocate for indigenizing on Naskapi Radio and participates in healing and youth activities as entrepreneurship. He is heavily involved in his community often as possible. campus, including through the Iniskim Centre, which increases awareness of distinct Indigenous cultures and offers services to Ruth Kaviok is a 20-year-old Inuk woman from Nunavik on support Indigenous students. the western rim of Hudson Bay. She was the Inuktitut valedictorian of her high school and winner of Samara’s Rae-Anne Harper is a Plains Cree woman with Metis roots Everyday Political Citizen award. She is creating a plan for a from Onion Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.