Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 8th, 2018

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Excellent.

We can revisit that motion once we've had the appropriate notice, but we do have witnesses in front of us today, and I would like to be able to get through them.

We have with us today Robert Bertrand, who is the National Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. He has testified before our committee many a time.

Thank you so much for coming here today.

We have with us Regional Chief Kluane Adamek of Yukon region from the Assembly of First Nations.

Thank you for being here.

We have with us by video conference Naveen Mehta of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada.

I'd like to begin with the video conference because we do have technical issues sometimes, so it's best to start with you.

Please begin with your presentation, Mr. Mehta.

[Naveen Mehta, General Counsel, Director of Human Rights, Equity and Diversity, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada]

Thank you so much.

Good morning. I thank you for the opportunity to present to this committee. I'm general counsel and director of human rights for UFCW Canada, which is one of Canada's largest private sector unions, representing about a quarter of a million people and their families from coast to coast to coast. Our members are diverse, engaged and active, and there are thousands of them in each one of your ridings.

On Tuesday, we had an annual event here in Ottawa, open to all of you, as members of this committee, and to all MPs. If you attended that event, you know that we have members who work in industries from the cradle to the grave. We have members who work in hospitals where babies are delivered, day care centres, food retailing, and all the way to funeral homes.

We as a national union are very proud of our history of being committed to workers' rights, not just with regard to our members but for working people everywhere. Over the past decade, that commitment has allowed us to understand that there's an area where we need to work significantly harder. That is in regard to our relationship with indigenous peoples and, very importantly, our job of breathing life into the TRC recommendations.

You have before you people far more knowledgeable than myself on the history of indigenous peoples, and I suggest you rely on their lived experiences. In preparing for this important submission, I received a wealth of knowledge from the indigenous members of the UFCW indigenous committee. That committee was formed in 2016. It provides an essential amount of wisdom in putting together these submissions before you and the formulation of work around a national strategy on reconciliation and building meaningful relationships with these communities.

With regard to our work thus far with indigenous communities, as I mentioned earlier, our job is to try to breathe life into the work of the TRC recommendations. In a short time, we've been able to do things such as putting together a UFCW Canada reconciliation toolkit. It's a concise guide to support non-indigenous members, staff and leadership, and the Canadian public, to break through some of the mythologies, inaccuracies and straight-out lies that we were taught growing up with regard to indigenous communities.

Moreover, it provides us a step towards reconciliation. In addition to that—and I could go on for quite some time of course, which I don't have—we've worked very closely with Cindy Blackstock and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, on the human rights case against the federal government. We've worked very closely on a variety of indigenous matters relating to child welfare on reserve, but I don't have the time to go through all of it.

I want to talk to you about celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. As a national union, the UFCW Canada began doing that in 2017 and 2018, first in Calgary and then in Winnipeg. Our two-day events have informed our understanding and appreciation of both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, and the essential nature and importance of this day.

Our first event had 25 people. It was our first kick at the can. Our second had over 50. It was an opportunity for all of us—indigenous and settler—to reflect on Canada's past and present, and formulate meaningful steps towards the future.

One of our upcoming initiatives that resulted out of that day was connecting with indigenous communities across the country, particularly with regard to youth, and helping to build a better understanding of workplace rights in indigenous communities and for indigenous youth who leave the reserve.

Next month, we will be travelling to Waterhen Lake First Nation in northern Saskatchewan to do just that, with over 300 youth from the community in attendance.

It's important to note that National Indigenous Peoples Day and the celebration of it is not something new. It is increasingly something that is done in Canadian workplaces. Some workplaces in Canada have already begun allowing employees to take the day off with pay to celebrate the day. What we're discussing here is not an obscure concept; it's an emerging, forceful wave for the future. In developing our workplace bargaining guide for indigenous peoples and reconciliation, we've begun to look at the language concerning National Indigenous Peoples Days in existence.

Just from our preliminary research, we know that employers and unions are already moving in that direction, and negotiating collective agreements that provide for this as a paid holiday. In terms of instances where National Indigenous Peoples Day was paid, I'll give you a couple of statistics. We measured collective bargaining agreements across the country that have June 21 off with pay, or where an employer has a provision that covers full-time and part-time employees in the workplace.

We discovered that 4% of employers that we had researched granted full or part-time employees the ability to have a paid National Indigenous Peoples Day off.

We also measured employers who granted the day off, without pay or in lieu of another day, and that was another 2% of employers.

The question that remains is whether we would like to be part of this wave or are we going to be yet another Canadian generation simply dragged reluctantly towards the inevitable truth that we must breathe life into the TRC recommendations? One essential way to do that is the enactment of this bill.

My wholehearted submission to the members of this committee is that we have no choice, in that we have to view ourselves as progressing forward, so we must ensure that this legislation moves forward. It is important to indigenous peoples, but more or equally important, it is also important to settlers, those of us who haven't been on this land since time immemorial, to celebrate the accomplishments of indigenous peoples, to reflect and remember the past and build a real and genuine nation-to-nation relationship moving forward.

One quick point, which CFIB made in its submission, was that it said that the cost would be about $3.6 billion to Canadian businesses to have another statutory holiday. Unfortunately, there was no background and no research provided in that submission and it was a very short letter.

The bill attempts to amend just the Canada Labour Code, as we know, and for those employees who are subject to federal jurisdiction. We all know that the vast majority of Canadians are subject to provincial labour laws, which are outside the jurisdiction of this bill.

I would suggest that we don't place any weight on this number of $3.6 billion, as it doesn't really reflect the reality of what we're dealing with here today. Moreover, there is a cost to celebrate and there is always a cost to reflect. If we are going to build the country that we dream of and that others know us to be, I think it's essential that we have such a day.

I know that no one would suggest that we remove Canada Day or Christmas Day as a national holiday. To do so would be absurd. In the same vein, we know that there is a cost to justice and an even greater cost to injustice and doing nothing. I firmly believe that to do nothing and not enact this legislation would be that injustice.

Work on reconciliation is also fundamental to the identity of this country. It's not just unions or NGOs and a few workplaces that I'm speaking of. In my travels from coast to coast, there is a genuine need and urgency for those who have settled on this land to have a more honest conversation about the tragedies that have happened in the past, those that are current and how we want to make sure that we have no such tragedies in the future.

For example, I have the good fortune to be a member of Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion, which is an organization made up of 100 of Canada's general counsels across organizations, including all of the big banks, multinational corporations, regional companies and smaller workplaces. While I don't speak for that organization, I can tell you that one central theme to the work of Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion is that of reconciliation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Mr. Mehta, you're at the end of your time, so I'm just going to ask you to wrap it up, please. You can have a few seconds, yes.

[Naveen Mehta]

Awesome. I'm in my last paragraph.

The NIPD is in line with traditionally indigenous communities' celebration of the summer solstice, even as they are steps away from a significantly European Christian-focused holiday. It puts teeth into inclusion, from a national perspective, which allows Canadians to share space and invites new experiences that would revolve around National Indigenous Peoples Day.

I thank you so much for this opportunity.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Thank you very much.

I now give the floor to National Chief, Robert Bertrand.

[National Chief Robert Bertrand, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, vice-chairs, committee members, representatives and guests.

I am National Chief Robert Bertrand of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, CAP. I am pleased to be with you today, and I wish to acknowledge that we are on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin peoples.

For over 47 years, CAP has committed itself to advocating for the rights and needs of the off-reserve, status and non-status lndians, Métis people and southern Inuit, the majority of whom live in urban, rural and remote areas. CAP also serves as the national voice for its 10 provincial and territorial affiliates, which are instrumental in providing us with a direct connection to the priorities and needs of our constituents.

This is an important discussion. Bill C-369 proposes to amend certain acts to make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory holiday. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today, because consultation on issues that impact all indigenous people is something that CAP strives for in our work as a national indigenous organization.

A day celebrating the indigenous peoples of Canada has been around for over 20 years. As citizens of this country, we have come to recognize that to move forward together we need to have true reconciliation between all indigenous peoples, non-indigenous Canadians and all levels of government. Each year on this day, we celebrate the immense contributions the indigenous people have made for this country.

This past year, I was at the ceremony of remembrance at the aboriginal veterans monument in Ottawa. I was honoured to be there in support of the courage of all indigenous people who have served and continue to do so in our armed services for Canada. CAP is supportive of National Indigenous Peoples Day becoming a statutory holiday so that all people can gather to honour indigenous communities and cultures in a day of celebration.

We believe that, in addition to the holiday, the federal government should support the education efforts and activities of indigenous organizations in cities and communities across Canada. We must ensure all Canadians take the time and have the tools to learn about our histories. A national holiday would be an opportunity for Canadians to recognize and learn about the many different indigenous cultures throughout this vast land.

It is important that this day be inclusive and that, as the bill reflects, it is for all indigenous peoples of Canada. We will not be excluded based on residence, status or politics. A statutory holiday will be an important opportunity to reflect upon the diverse heritage and culture of our people, which remain so vitally important to the social fabric of this country. In doing so, each and every one of us will be working towards the reality of true reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Merci beaucoup. Thank you. Meegwetch.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

We will now go to Regional Chief Kluane Adamek, Yukon Region, Assembly of First Nations.

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek, Yukon Region, Assembly of First Nations]

Thank you.

I'm really pleased to be here. I want to acknowledge the national chief of CAP, and of course that we are on the unceded Algonquin territory and also paying particular tribute today to our aboriginal veterans. Today is the day we honour and acknowledge them, and I'm wearing my new piece of regalia.

I have a beaded poppy that I'm not wearing at this moment but it's on my jacket. It's a really important day. I'm very humbled to be here to share perspectives with respect to a day where we can celebrate who we are, certainly from an indigenous perspective, but not just for indigenous people; this is for Canada.

My name is Kluane Adamek and I'm from the Dakl'aweidi (Killerwhale) Clan. I'm a Yukon regional chief, and I've been serving in this capacity since last January. It is so important that members of this committee not only represent interests of your constituencies, but also bring voice and leadership to the commitment that has been made not solely by this Prime Minister. Of course, we know that the relationship with indigenous people as he describes it is the most important but this is 40, 50, 60, 100, 200 years in the making.

There's no question that supporting and ensuring that Canadians across this country have the opportunity to have a day of celebration with us to celebrate who we are on June 21 is incredibly important. We know that TRC calls to action identified this, the UN declaration identifies this and we know that through Bill C-262 this has also been identified.

Last year, in 2017, we had June 21 as a holiday in the Yukon Territory; 18 years ago, the Northwest Territories created June 21 as a holiday.

This comes to where we are now. The question isn't why anymore. It's how. How do we get to a place of advancing reconciliation and ensuring that our people are fully acknowledged in this country? This is an opportunity for all Canadians to spend a day to learn. In the Yukon, celebrations are held across the territory, but in particular, at the Adäka Cultural Festival, we welcome visitors. We share who we are. We drum and we sing because that's important. It's an opportunity to learn.

In addition to that, most recently, the national executive, the other regional chiefs, the national chief and I had a conversation about this day. Something for you to consider as a committee would be this. We have to have a day that we celebrate. As is our custom, there are celebrations for us in the Yukon. Our potlatching is alive and well. We know that was taken away from us and it's back and it will never leave.

We must also consider a day to commemorate. The day of commemoration is going to be a different day. This day acknowledges the survivors of residential schools. As we saw floods of orange T-shirts across the country, indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians understand that history. Those of us sitting at this table and my generation, your generation, our grandparents' generation, that shared history wasn't shared. That was taken from all of us. It is about that commemoration and ensuring that those residential school survivors are commemorated on their day, a special day for them.

It doesn't have to be on that same day on which we celebrate. In Israel, for example, they have a day where they acknowledge the history and a day after when they celebrate. This has been done around the world. New Zealand has a day, Waitangi Day on February 6. Canada can be leaders in this.

I feel that opportunity is now more than ever, and I look to our first speaker. I look to our national chief of CAP. I think about the business community, the public sector and the roles they have. I think of all those Canadians and all those kids. It's our responsibility to ensure they really understand the original relationship of this country.

We chose that recognition, understanding who we are, sharing our stories. We know these things, but it's time for action. We know why. It becomes about how.

For the committee, of course June 21 is celebrated right across this country. Solstice in the north is already a holiday. This would be the federal government setting a tone for the rest of the provinces and territories across this country to say this is incredibly important so provinces and territories should stand with us. Stand with the north, which has already take a huge step in this process.

This is also for your consideration: September 30 must also be a day of commemoration. We have to really understand that history, because we know, as our elders have talked about—I think about my grandmother and my father who both went to residential schools—that important history and that specific area of understanding has to be made. It has to be understood. We have to stand in support of those residential school survivors.

Those would be the reflections that I would share with you, committee, and as would, of course, the Assembly of First Nations. There have been many years and many discussions about this by our chiefs, our communities and our people. Whether it's in our communities or whether we are living in urban centres, we have a responsibility. Every single one of us has a part in this journey towards reconciliation.

I would like to be part of that celebration with you when this bill passes and becomes legislation. What we're hearing across the country is there's no cost to reconciliation. You can't put a number on it. Of course, there are going to be financial considerations that have to be made. But wait a minute here, how many other holidays have we had? How many other holidays have we celebrated and not once have we truly celebrated not only the commitment that we have to that relationship with indigenous peoples but the way in which our indigenous peoples, first nations peoples, myself as a Kluane citizen, have contributed to this country, to our economies, to the way in which we do our business? That is very important.

I wanted to thank the committee for the opportunity to join you and to put that challenge of ReconciliACTION out there. It's not a question of why, it's how and when. It's also a question of how we are going to ensure that our residential school survivors are commemorated. We think of Phyllis wearing her orange shirt, showing up so strong that day and having that taken away. This becomes about ensuring that that never happens again.

I would like to thank all of you for the opportunity to join you today. I want to particularly acknowledge my colleague at the Assembly of First Nations, Natasha. This has been a file that she's been working closely on. I know many of the people on your teams who are here today. Certainly for this committee, this is an incredible responsibility that you have. I wish you the best in your deliberations.

Gunalchéesh.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Thank you.

We are now going to begin our question period.

We will go to Mr. Boissonnault, for seven minutes please.

[Randy Boissonnault]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank you to all the presenters here today.

Regional Chief Adamek, I have a question to you to start off.

I'm non-status adopted Cree from Alberta, my great-grandmother Lucy Brown Eyes, was a full-blooded Cree woman. Everybody thinks my mum is Mexican because she goes out and tans for a half hour to two hours and it's like she's been outside all summer. She's one-quarter Cree.

We didn't talk about residential schools, yet there was one not very far away. We didn't talk about being indigenous because in the seventies in Alberta that was like a thing of shame. I think we have to get to a point in Canada where we actually pause and talk about the dark parts of our past, where we talk about how we marginalized people, and where we talk about how residential schools were copied by the apartheid government of South Africa to figure out how to separate people. We did such a good job separating indigenous people from non-indigenous that other governments actually came and studied us and then used it to oppress their own peoples. I think that's worth a day.

I think for the people who were in residential schools up until the point where I was still in university, in the nineties, at the University of Alberta and people were still going to Blue Quills, that deserves a day. I think that deserves $11 million of federal money to give all the people who are on the federal payroll a day off to go and listen and think about that with their families. Hopefully the provinces and territories will follow suit.

Regional Chief, do you believe non-indigenous Canadians, either southerners or Canadians in the north, know enough about indigenous history and residential schools yet?

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek]

I wanted to thank you for sharing your reflections and being so open to sharing them, because we know our shared histories. I wanted to also share with you, member of the committee, that it sounds like you and I have some similarities there in those hidden parts of our histories. It does become about where we are in the learning. I'd say there's a long way to go.

In the confines of Parliament, of course, senators, members of Parliament and people making decisions for this country have a lot to learn. Our people, our Yukoners, have a lot to learn. Northerners have a lot to learn. Canadians have a lot to learn. Yes, we do need these days. You mention those dark chapters; while we've turned the page we can't just leave the book on the shelf. It becomes about revisiting that, understanding and, as you describe, it being a part of our history that isn't hidden anymore.

It's incredibly uncomfortable. It takes vulnerability and courage to have those conversations from a perspective of those who have been through it and lived that experience. It also takes vulnerability for those settler Canadians—non-indigenous people—to say, “Okay, we need to have these conversations.”

It is so very hard, but that is the only way we're going to move forward. We hear this from our elders, our leadership, our members of committee and our members of Parliament. This is incredibly important. I would have to say I agree with you. There is still so much to learn.

Coming from a region that has 11 modern treaties...people still think those were signed and trucks are gotten for free. That's not real. That's not what happened. That's a tripartite agreement among the Yukon government, Canada and first nations.

I'm agreeing with you absolutely. There's so much to learn. These days would provide a part of that opportunity. There are many systemic changes that still need to be made, but let us have those days and ensure that federal public servants have that opportunity. Also, let's challenge the provinces and other territories to get to that place where that becomes a day as well.

[Randy Boissonnault]

I have a question for you that I'm going to embed in a bit of a reflection. We still have a long way to go. I agree with you. I grew up in Morinville, near Alexander First Nation. My grandmother worked at the Youville Home in St. Albert. I now represent Edmonton Centre, just south of there. about a month ago, a woman went home to her apartment building in St. Albert. Tacked to the door was a warning that said, "You and your little kids had better leave because you're not welcome here, and if you don't leave there's going to be violence."

She's indigenous, and she had five kids living in an apartment complex. The people in that complex, the white people and indigenous people in that complex said that she and her kids did not belong in St. Albert, off the rez.

We need this day. We need a day to commemorate. We need a day to celebrate or we're not going to get where we need to be as a people.

Now here is my question to you. When you're an elder many decades from now—I'm going to say many, that's my prerogative—what would you hope we will have achieved with this commemoration day? What will the children be able to tell their children and grandchildren when we get this right?

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek]

I would describe the moment I've had here today, being able to share this story and that in 2018 or 2019, legislation was passed. From that moment on, you saw a shift across the country of people beginning to come together to celebrate, listen and learn...those moments, as you describe, of deep thought, deep reflection...having a day in September.

Those were days when kids were taken away. That is also the beginning of the school year.

How do we also use education as that tool that assimilated our people for decades? How can we then turn the page to say, “Can we use that system to be the system that creates that change?” It would be change not just for indigenous students—there's no question—but for all of our kids. It has to be with the young people.

I don't have children now. The secret's out. This is why I can travel across the country all the time. I'm deeply humbled by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who brings her baby everywhere. That might be me in a few years, you never know.

The point is that I would love to share this story with my grandchildren and describe the experience of, as mentioned, our parents and grandparents who have lived it, so it's never forgotten, as our elders describe often. This cannot be an experience that's forgotten. We need to be able to move forward in our healing journey together. It must always be shared.

Thank you for that question. I appreciate that and look forward to other questions about the importance of both of these days, as you described.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Mr. Blaney now has the floor for seven minutes.

[Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for your inspiring words, Chief Adamek.

My thanks to you also, Chief Bertrand.

Thanks also to our witness appearing by teleconference.

I live in Lévis, across from Quebec City, where we have a very dynamic maple industry. Bellechasse is considered the home of the world’s maple industry. We have membrane filtration technology, pumping systems, telemetry apparatus, but basically it is all built on indigenous knowledge. We have actually inherited maple sap from the communities that once occupied the territory of Bellechasse. They were probably Malecites.

In your presentation, you spoke of commemorating that. It is important for the people of Bellechasse to remember the origins of a sector that creates a lot of jobs and exports a lot of products to the United States. You talked about celebrating and commemorating that heritage.

Before you, we heard from witnesses who told us about residential schools. Education came out of those discussions a lot.

There is also the principle of recognition, which we of course support. When I was Minister of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Bernard, I had the opportunity to take part in the June 21 ceremonies with indigenous peoples. For me, it was a wonderful gateway through which to recognize the indigenous contribution to modern Canada, and their sacrifices.

What is the marketing mix?

How will we be able to reconcile it all? We do not just want a day off. People love days off, as do I. However, we want a day that has significance. How can we make sure that future generations will be fully aware of indigenous issues?

As Mr. Boissonnault mentioned, we must not simply have commemoration and celebration activities, we must also have education. How can we ensure that education? What tools can help us to achieve the objective of this bill? How can we focus it, so that people do not just have a day off without knowing why?

[National Chief Robert Bertrand]

Thank you very much for the question, Mr. Blaney.

One of the ways we could look at it would be to work with school boards across the country, specifically in order to give students information and explain to them the significance of the day.

Here is something I saw with my children. They are grown up now, but when they were little, they came home with all kinds of information about recycling. I can tell you that, now that those children are adults, the idea of recycling is firmly anchored in their actions.

I would really be in favour of work being done at federal and provincial levels with the schools to raise the students’ awareness of the day. In my opinion, it would be a good first step towards reconciliation.

[Steven Blaney]

Ms. Adamek, would you like to comment?

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek]

I would. Thank you for the question.

The report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada contains more than 80 recommendations. That would be a good place to start.

I speak French, but my mother tongue is English. So this is a good test for me today.

That is one recommendation, but there are others. I am thinking of Canada’s ministers of education and of the ministers of health.

It has to become about the commitments, as you're describing. How do we ensure that people really understand what these days are about?

I'd like to share a model with you that we use in my community. We start with the individual. That becomes about you and me thinking about the territory we live on: How do we share that with our families? How do we share the history that we know? Then there's your family, and then that goes, in a larger ring, to your community. Then you think about nations, and then you think about the country.

So everyone has a role in what this education is going to be. There is no one source, if you will. It becomes about us, as individuals, creating our own understanding. That is now a responsibility. No longer is it for indigenous Canadians to share. It's about every single Canadian taking the time to learn. I would suggest that be one approach.

I would also suggest that tools be made, within government, for public servants. These would be in addition to all the changes and recommendations of the TRC, for example, public servants having a stronger understanding of the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. Taking it a step further, there are a number of tools that can be used, that we would love to be able to support, having engagements on....

I also would suggest looking to those nations, and being able to provide...from my perspective, speaking to first nations, specifically, in this country, both on and off reserve, both status and non-status. As we know, in the Yukon, you aren't required to be status to be a citizen of our nations. Our agreements provide us with that ability to define our own citizenship. We've moved beyond the Indian Act. So then it becomes about how we support our nations to share their stories, to have that very special day, as Kluane people, to share who we are, where we come from and what our history has been. How did the Alaska Highway impact our people? Why is it that the gold rush is seen as the beginning of the Yukon? Wait a minute. That's not accurate. Why did it take 40 years for Kate Carmack to be acknowledged as one of the discoverers of gold? These are the moments that will no longer be only our responsibility as Kluane First Nation, but as Yukoners. However, we need support to be able to host those important events and to create those materials.

I would like to thank you for that question because there will be tools and resources that will need to be developed. There will be teachings, and learn-ins, and understanding that's built at home, at the dinner table. I know very well, coming from an indigenous and non-indigenous background, that there are conversations that don't always take place. “Hey, Grandpa, we have a farm. I think this farm is built on the people from Curve Lake's traditional territory.” Those conversations were only had at our dinner table because I have an indigenous background and a non-indigenous background. So it changes the conversation.

It is our responsibility to change that conversation, in that circle I described, which is ours, and then to take it further—to community, to family, to our places of work, our nations and our countries.

[Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Chief Adamek.

Your French is excellent, by the way.

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dabrusin]

Mr. Nantel has the floor now.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you all for being here.

Mr. Mehta and Mr. Bertrand, thank you, but my first question goes to Ms. Adamek. You are such a positive leader.

I have been here in Ottawa for seven years. If I have learned one thing, it is that a diamond in the rough is still a diamond. I feel that the thinking that my colleague Ms. Jolibois brought to her bill broke through a wall, and has led to a wonderful conversation like this one and to testimony like yours this morning.

If I am not mistaken, you would like the committee’s report, as well as recommending a statutory holiday, possibly on June 21, that we legislative a national Orange Shirt Day, more or less like Remembrance Day, that may or may not come with a day off.

[Regional Chief Kluane Adamek]

Thank you for the question.

We know that June 21 is the day when a deep celebration is held. That has been the day. That will continue. Solstice could be the day. Of course, we encourage that.

We have to also keep in mind that celebration and commemoration are two different things. I think about the potlatch. When someone passes, we have a potlatch. We have a feast. We commemorate the person. A year later, we have a celebration. We have a feast, and we give gifts away. In our culture, the more you give, the wealthier you are. We have a day to commemorate, and we have a day to celebrate. In a lot of our cultures across the country, it is the same way.

It has to be about celebrating. Maybe that's one step, but it feels like now is the time for us to take a really big step. That would mean two days. Of course, there is going to be a dollar amount attached to that. Of course there will be concerns. There always will be, but this provides us the opportunity to be leaders now. If we don't do this now, my questions would be when and why not. It has to be about two days. What are the first steps to get there? Maybe we need to talk about that a little bit more. There has to be at least one. There's no question. It's almost 2019. My consideration for you is that there really should be two. These are two very different things we are talking about.

I hope I provided the clarification that maybe you were looking for. I hope this isn't the only conversation. This is a formal conversation, and I entirely understand that, but we would be happy to have other conversations with you, members of the committee, to fully describe the differences between the two and why this is so very important.

This becomes about my generation also sharing that. It can't be about just one group or leadership. It has to be about all our communities. It really needs to be about our kids—your children, your grandchildren, my future children, my future grandchildren—really understanding what this is all about.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Absolutely.

I will now turn to you, Mr. Bertrand and Mr. Mehta.

I was very pleased to hear about the work environment angle today and the general agreement with the idea, which you seem to have witnessed.

My question is to everyone. Mr. Blaney referred to Memorial Day in an astonishing, tough conversation we had about having a statutory holiday or not. Passionate people came to talk. They were all super involved in Memorial Day, but they considered that it would not be a good idea that it be a statutory holiday.

Another parallel is also valid when we talk about Memorial Day.

I feel that we cannot deny the fact that symbols have a lot of value. At least, I think so. For example, a lot of us are wearing a poppy. We do not wear it on Remembrance Day only. We start to wear it in November, or even in the previous month. So, as they appear, young people ask why people are wearing a little red flower. It encourages conversation. Basically, it is remembrance month, with some days having a theme.

Mr. Bertrand, Mr. Mehta or Ms. Adamek, do you feel that having a symbol would stimulate more conversations and, above all, would increase the visibility of indigenous people? A holiday is still a holiday for everyone. But because of the poppy, even if people do not have the day off, they know that it is Remembrance Day.

[National Chief Robert Bertrand]

For your information, when Ms. Jolibois held her news conference on Parliament Hill, I was at her side.

I have to tell you that, about a month and a half ago, we held our annual general meeting here in Ottawa. We had people from all over Canada. I think that, in total, there were about 125 of us. Someone proposed that we set aside a day for truth and reconciliation. During the discussion, a number of people spoke. I remember one lady in particular who talked about her experiences at residential school. I have to tell you that, when she finished, almost everyone there had tears in their eyes. Afterwards, people told us that it is very difficult for them to talk about the things that went on in the residential schools and to relive the memory of it all.

However, then people talked about a day of recognition and no one had a problem with that. I have the resolution here. I will read it if I may.