Thank you, Madam Chair.
Fellow members, good afternoon.
I'd like to thank the department officials for being here today.
I've worked with many of you in my time as parliamentary secretary, so it's nice to see you here.
Colleagues, this is an addition to the bill to provide some extra scope. You can read what it is, what the purpose is. We want to be clear that it's responding to TRC call to action 80. We want to be clear that it's a federal holiday. We want to make sure that we are clear about the fact that we're honouring survivors, families and communities:
ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools, and other atrocities committed against First Nation, Inuit and Metis people, remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.
You all heard the testimony. It was very clear that people wanted us to keep it separate from what was happening on a celebratory note in June, and so it's also important for us to make sure that we have the language of “first nation” and “Métis people” in the bill, so this is the amendment as proposed.