Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 20th, 2018

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

In my family my great-grandfather is known to have spoken Cree and Ojibwa as well as English and French. He wasn't indigenous. It was the language of trade at the time. It was a bit of a shock. Growing up I learned that it was perfectly normal a few generations ago for the white man to learn these languages, and I can only presume it was deliberately lost.

I think that what you're bringing forward is very important and I'm completely sold on the need to get there. But the first thing I want to focus on is the logistics. How we do it, until Douglas Adams gets his dream of giving the Babel fish to all of us?

On that basis, what's a reasonable notification period? How much time is needed? You talked at the beginning about being perfectly fine with notifying the House about your intent to speak in a different language.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

It depends on where the interpreters are. That's the complicated variable here. If I have a question tomorrow morning, giving notice to you today is perfectly fine.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I think the right to speak exists already. We want to find the right to be understood, which I think is the more important one. I think we ought to make that distinction.

Earlier, I mentioned to the clerks—I don't know if you were here in the room at the time—that I believe it's important that when someone speaks in an indigenous language in the House—and I think this should apply to all indigenous languages—that Hansard eventually can translate that and have an affirmative record without your having to provide it to them. I think that's reasonable.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Yes.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

It should at least be when it's printed at the end of the Parliament. I don't know if you agree with that comment or how you see the written records.

Do you have comments to add to that?

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

It wouldn't be available in the next 24 hours—that's for sure—but it's doable easily.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

We note in this room right now that we have translation from Cree, but not to Cree. Is that part of this? Are we getting all proceedings of the House? Does that apply at committee as well? Is it from and to, or just from? How do you see that?

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

That's a choice we will need to consider. In order to accommodate the House of Commons, I wouldn't ask for English to Cree translation. In terms of give and take, I will allow that.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

We mentioned there are 56 or so languages in the country. Which ones do we look at including? Which ones do we not look at including? Where do you draw those lines?

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

I don't think there should be any exclusion. My constitutional right to speak applies in the very same manner to every other language in this country.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

That's fair.

I want to see if I got this right when I say yimstimagesu.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

I have it here.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

He has it even better.

Go ahead.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Sorry to steal your time.

Priscilla was kind enough to give me the spelling and the pronunciation if anybody wants to write this down. It's yimstimagesu.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Yes, yimstimagesu.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Okay. So it's pronounced, “yum-shta-ma-jeh-suu”.

Thank you, Priscilla.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Do I have any time left?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Not really, but go ahead.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you.

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

First, what about remote interpretation? Would that be something you would consider acceptable? If we couldn't get somebody here, could we do a remote interpretation?

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Yes, if it's possible.

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Okay.

The second thing is probably hard to envision. The day you're able to stand up in the House of Commons and speak in Cree and have that interpreted, what is it going to feel like for you and your constituents, while you represent them?

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

It won't be only me.

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Yes.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

It will be for all indigenous people. It will be all for Canadians as a matter of fact, all of us. This is going to be a victory for all of us, not just me.