moved for leave to introduce Bill C-529, an act respecting the motto of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great honour to introduce an act respecting the motto of Canada, seconded by the hon. member for Vancouver Kingsway.
The current motto is “from sea to sea”, which is based on scripture. It says “He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth”.
I propose that the new motto should reflect a vision of who we truly are as Canadians. We are a nation of rivers and a river of nations. As a nation of rivers, we are blessed and responsible for the numerous river basins which are ascertained by founding treaties.
The river of nations celebrates all our ancestors and our multiculturalism, inclusive of the original nations and all the nations that come from the ends of the earth.
Therefore, I hereby declare that the motto of Canada should be “natio fluminum, flumen nationum”, a nation of rivers and a river of nations.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)