Evidence of meeting #118 for Canadian Heritage in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was back.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Without those stories, you lose so much of the meaning and the cultural history—
12:50 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
You absolutely do.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
—but without those stories and the meaning and the history, we're talking—
12:50 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
It's just a thing.
12:50 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
It's just an item. Yes, I agree with you entirely.
Hopefully, if it does happen that these first nations communities get the support they need to have these artifacts or historical things brought back, the history will come with them. That history can then be told and shared. There might be descendants who might be able to help out. Who knows? The story could continue.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
I'm going to have to jump in. Unfortunately, that is all of your time, but thank you for all of that.
I now give the floor to Mr. Nantel.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Casey, I'd like to begin by saying that for me as an MP, and for anyone here on the Hill, the happiness in your eyes is wonderful to see; you are pleased with your success, and rightly so. By focusing on issues in our ridings, we sometimes come across causes like this one, that deserve particular, and even national, attention. I might even say international, because Australia would like to have the artifact back.
With that said, I think, like my colleague Mr. Shields, that communities will indeed be able to care for the objects when they are back. I can't help but think about the museums study, in this connection. I was told that the report on that study was tabled this morning; bravo! I expect that the report on cultural centres will also eventually be tabled.
There was a lot of debate about the issues and risks of having interpretation centres or museums of that type in locations that are far away from large centres. Would this not be a good opportunity to give a national profile to the eventual repatriation of this type of artifact to those museums, and to obtain the financial support of prestigious partners? Does exhibiting repatriated artifacts in showcases and display cases installed with the public's help not constitute a great opportunity to inject new life into our small community museums?
12:50 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
Absolutely. There could be a partnership between us and other indigenous communities. There's absolutely a door that can be opened. To have that connection and to be able to share and support that would be beyond words. Having that support and connection would be something that I imagine would open so many hearts and so many avenues, absolutely.
12:50 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
All these items, as you say, without the back story behind them, are just objects.
I'm thinking of what we went through over the past ten years, of our collective awakening to the impact of residential schools, and I think that more than ever, your story needs to be told, and this is a good opportunity to do that.
Mr. Casey, do you agree?
12:50 p.m.
Cumberland—Colchester, Lib.
I do, but first of all we want to bring them back from Australia and other countries if we can.
I live in Nova Scotia, but this robe is known to aboriginals in Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick and Newfoundland. They know it well. This robe is something they talk about. It's part of them. It's part of their culture. If we're successful at repatriating it, it will come to Millbrook, but it will be shared with the whole of Atlantic Canada because it's a Mi'kmaq artifact and they treasure it, and I don't blame them.
People talk about it. I was at an event on Saturday night with Native Council of Nova Scotia aboriginals. They had dancers there, drummers and performers, all in replica regalia. With this they could have more accurate replica regalia. It was an incredible thing.
I don't know if you have powwows where you live, but we have powwows, and they are absolutely incredible. They bring back the traditional ceremonies and culture of dancing and singing and artifacts and artwork. They are incredible. They're just starting, but they are building and increasing. Millbrook has one of the most impressive powwows every summer, and it's just amazing. Even this event on Saturday night—it was a dinner—was amazing with the dancers and the culture available, even though it was just in a hotel. If they had the real, genuine artifacts, it would be so much better.
As I say, if this particular robe comes back to Millbrook, there will be a celebration all over eastern Canada.
12:55 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
I actually think there would be a celebration throughout North America. The Mi'kmaq people reside not only here in the eastern part of Canada but all over the world, and to have something like that come back home would set a precedent. It would be amazing to have that.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Anju Dhillon Liberal Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC
Thank you for coming and testifying before us.
How many minutes do I have?
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
You have up to seven minutes. If I may assist, I don't think we're going to get time to go to Mr. Hogg, so if he has a question, you may want to include it.
September 18th, 2018 / 12:55 p.m.
Liberal
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Anju Dhillon Liberal Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC
Perfect.
Thank you for coming and testifying before us. Mr. Casey spoke to us about this in our national caucus a few months ago, and we could see his eyes tear up and light up at the same time. It was a very proud moment for him.
These are the things we can do as members of Parliament. What kind of effect has this had on your community?
12:55 p.m.
Operations Supervisor, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
Honestly, the effect on the community has been awe and disbelief: Is this really going to happen? It's something that would be so meaningful if it happened. A lot of the things we have tried over the years haven't happened. There are always good intentions, good intentions, good intentions, and then the door is shut and the intentions are gone, but if we were to have something like this happen, the fact that we're supported in something that means so much to us would mean something to us.
It's not so much about reconciliation. It is reconciliation, but it's also recognizing that our history has to be back here where it belongs. Sure, it's all over the world and it's there, but it's not shared. It's not back with our people. It's not just for the Mi'kmaq people, but for all first nations in all of Canada.
