It will, massively. It would make me feel like a real part of Canada, a part of our growth into what my ancestors always believed in, which was to be a part of what Canada is. Louis Riel, in his very essence, and my grandfather believed that we want to build a future for our own children so we can live in a good way.
What happened throughout history was that we got forgotten, especially after the resistance of 1885. We felt we were knocked off to the side. We were just existing, as they say. We were homeless, really. For 100 years, a lot of our people were homeless. Some are still homeless just because of economics. There could be mental illness and other factors.
My family and I are the only ones among my siblings who outright own a house, to this day. Everybody else is still trying to find themselves. That has to do with the fact that they just feel unheard at the government level. I've seen it in the RCMP, as a former officer. Someone would come in and ask what band I belonged to. I'd reply, “I don't belong to a band, I'm Métis.” I'd try to explain and they'd say, "You're just one of us.”
Yes, we're Canadian. “One of us” is that, but I'm Métis. A Métis is a Métis is a Métis. That's what I believe we are, but within the distinction of what is all of Canada.
We need to know that our history is there. We can't lose that. Losing the language is genocide, and we're fighting like crazy to keep our culture and our language alive.
I hope that helps.
This legislation would impact us for reconciliation because we're at odds with first nations as well in some ways. We have to build bridges with our brothers and sisters. We're not taking anybody's pie. There's enough for everybody. Our services lack within our nation.