43rd PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION House of Commons Debates Official Report (Hansard) Volume 149 No. 022 Monday, February 24, 2020 Speaker: The Honourable Anthony Rota CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 1399 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, February 24, 2020 The House met at 11 a.m. Do these advancements mean our work is done? Of course not. Recent events illustrate that the issues that remain to be resolved are both complex and urgent. Equally, we cannot allow ourselves to go backward. Prayer [Translation] I hope we will use this moment as an opportunity to have a con‐ GOVERNMENT ORDERS structive debate on this bill, starting with an all-party agreement that the amendments it proposes to the Citizenship Act are one ● (1105) more vital step towards reconciliation. [English] [English] CITIZENSHIP ACT Before discussing the substance of the legislation, I believe it is Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Immigration, Refugees important to provide the historical context that gave rise to call to and Citizenship, Lib.) moved that Bill C-6, An Act to amend the action number 94. Citizenship Act (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's call to action number 94), be read the second time and referred to a As was said at the time of the initial publication of the TRC re‐ committee. port, too many Canadians know too little or nothing at all about the tragedy of the residential schools. This deficit of public awareness He said: Mr. Speaker, I begin by acknowledging that we are on regarding the systemic way in which indigenous children were the traditional territory of the Algonquin nation. forcibly torn from their families has had serious consequences. Pre‐ viously shamed into silence, thousands of survivors painfully Today I have the privilege of speaking to Bill C-6, which is an shared their residential school experiences with the commission. act to amend the Citizenship Act. When passed into law, this legis‐ This helped to start an important dialogue about what is necessary lation will amend the oath of citizenship to ensure indigenous peo‐ to heal. ples have their right place within the solemn declaration made by newcomers as they are welcomed to the Canadian family. We, as Canadians, have much to learn from listening to their voices. It is in this spirit of sharing, knowledge and learning that we The purpose of this bill is to continue to fulfill our government's put forward this bill to ensure that new Canadians begin to under‐ commitment to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commis‐ stand the history of indigenous peoples as a part of our country's sion's calls to action, specifically call to action number 94. As fabric at their inception as citizens. The stories of first nations, Inuit members will know, identical legislation was tabled in the last Par‐ and Métis are the story of Canada itself. liament; however, we were not able to advance it before dissolu‐ tion. [Translation] [Translation] That is why the approach we are taking with this new oath is so important. The action we are proposing today is one more step to‐ I want to explain why I think it is important to highlight this. The wards rebuilding a once harmonious relationship. government proposed this amendment some time ago, almost a year ago, in fact, as part of our overall efforts to significantly advance [English] reconciliation. As Senator Murray Sinclair said: [English] Actions speak louder than words. The reality is that we're...looking for action that shows leadership, that causes people to sit up and take notice and recognize This is hard work. The renewal of the relationship with indige‐ that there is an important process under way here that they have to be part of. nous peoples must be based on a recognition of rights, respect, co- operation and partnership. We have wed ourselves to these princi‐ With this bill, we are taking a step to respond to Senator Sin‐ ples to foster collaboration in the creation of new laws and policies clair's exhortation by modifying the oath of citizenship to be more that will, among other things, protect indigenous languages, tradi‐ inclusive and to help fundamentally transform the nature of our re‐ tions and institutions. lationship with indigenous peoples. 1400 COMMONS DEBATES February 24, 2020 Government Orders For hundreds of years, even before the residential schools, in‐ sity and respect within an open and free society. In addition, by tak‐ digenous peoples faced discrimination in every aspect of their lives. ing the oath, new citizens inherit the legacy of those who have Our government firmly believes that we must acknowledge the in‐ come before them and the values that have defined the character of justices of the past and envision a new relationship based on the in‐ Canada. When a newcomer becomes Canadian, our history be‐ herent rights of indigenous peoples. The bill we have put forward comes their history and their history becomes part of ours. Now, today helps to lay the foundation for that journey. that shared history will also ensure that newcomers recognize and affirm the rights and treaties of indigenous peoples. The histories of Once adopted, the new oath of citizenship will read as follows: indigenous peoples in Canada are diverse and an integral part of I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Canada's past, present and future. Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which rec‐ ognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and [Translation] Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen. In arriving at this language, I would note that the government en‐ It has been a long road, and we still have a lot of work to do. The gaged indigenous leaders, including the national indigenous organi‐ purpose of this bill is twofold. First, our goal is to ensure that new zations. My department began consultations in 2016 with the As‐ Canadians recognize indigenous peoples' significant contributions sembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis to Canada. The government is also reaffirming its commitment to National Council. In addition, we also engaged with members of reconciliation and a renewed relationship with indigenous peoples. the Land Claims Agreements Coalition, an organization that repre‐ sents indigenous modern treaty organizations and governments in Canada. [English] [Translation] We must keep moving forward together. While all three organizations generally support the intent behind the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's call to ac‐ [Translation] tion, it was clear that further efforts were needed to make the oath as precise and inclusive as possible. We have listened and learned. We are working together to take ● (1110) concrete measures to build a better future and a new relationship, [English] and that includes recognizing indigenous peoples in the citizenship In summarizing our consultation, there were diverse views with oath. regard to language. However, it is our sincere belief that the word‐ ing put forth in this bill reflects our best efforts to be inclusive of [English] first nations, Inuit and Métis experiences, responding not only to call to action number 94 but to the substance of what my depart‐ Our goal is to achieve a fundamental and profound shift in the ment heard throughout our consultations. In so doing, we put for‐ relationship with indigenous peoples. However, this transformation ward to the House today a proposed oath of citizenship that intro‐ will take mutual respect, determination and patience. duces and instills the principle of reconciliation among our new cit‐ izens. It will mean listening to and learning from indigenous partners, Canada has been shaped by the contributions of immigrants over communities and youth, and acting decisively on what we have many generations. Travelling this country far and wide, one would heard, which is to build trust and healing. It will also mean doing be hard pressed to find a family whose journey did not start abroad. everything we can to support the inherent right to self-determina‐ For many, becoming a citizen is a significant milestone on this jour‐ tion of indigenous peoples that will lead us all to a better future. ney. Indeed, nearly 85% of newcomers become citizens. Over the last decade, Canada has welcomed nearly 1.7 million new citizens. In my short time as minister, I have already had a number of oppor‐ We can and will build a better Canada together, but we can only tunities to participate in citizenship ceremonies right across do this in full, honest partnership with indigenous peoples who tru‐ Canada, and I can tell members that is among the most emotional, ly know best when it comes to their own communities. moving and special functions I get to engage in. [Translation] I want to end by acknowledging that this has been a challenging time. However, this legislation represents a significant opportunity I get to see the pride on the faces of new citizens and how this to find a better way forward. oath represents a major commitment as part of their journey to set‐ tle in a new country. [English] I look forward to working with all members of the House. It is my sincere hope that we will find a common cause to support this The oath is a very public declaration and an integral part of the legislation, which represents an important and modest step forward citizenship process. It consecrates a commitment to equality, diver‐ on the path to reconciliation.