Evidence of meeting #36 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was language.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:35 p.m.
The Clerk
I'm so sorry, Mr. Chair.
The tech personnel is telling me that something is wrong with the interpretation from French to English. We might have to suspend while we inquire as to what's wrong.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Right.
Chief Piétacho, unfortunately, there is a problem with the interpretation from French to English.
We are going to suspend the meeting temporarily.
Please wait before resuming your opening address.
4:35 p.m.
Innu Nation
There are always problems when I am the one talking.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
It's complicated, because we have to deal with three languages at the same time.
4:35 p.m.
Innu Nation
Recognize our language as an official language! There are three languages in Canada: French, English and Innu.
[Witness spoke in Innu, interpreted as follows:]
I could speak in French.
[English]
That being said, I could speak in my second language to facilitate things.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
Bloc
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Chair, the clerk is not here, but the technicians are telling me the problem is fixed.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Right. That's good.
We will hope that everything works this time.
Chief Piétacho, please complete your opening address so we can move on to the questions.
4:35 p.m.
Innu Nation
I have lost speaking time.
[Witness spoke in Innu, interpreted as follows:]
I am a former residential school student and every day I remember everything that happened in the school.
October 27th, 2022 / 4:35 p.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Chair, if I could come back, we've spoken to the interpreter. The situation is that three interpreters are at one end of the room and the English interpreter is across the room in a separate booth. They couldn't see each other.
Anyway, we've worked it out and we're ready to begin. Perhaps we can begin again, from the top.
4:35 p.m.
Innu Nation
Let us hope. I am losing my five minutes' speaking time.
4:35 p.m.
Innu Nation
[Witness spoke in Innu, interpreted as follows:]
I am a former residential school student. I defend myself every day.
Everything that happened in the past has made us internalize the anger for too long. Personally, I have always sought peace with our colleagues.
Once again, we have said it often and we say it again, we have made reports, we have consulted lawyers, we have even met with the government. We have called you over and over. We have told you: our rights, our languages, our knowledge, our land, our religions, our traditions, our histories, everything, must be recognized! Everything must be recognized. I am an Innu. An Innu is someone who is always laughing.
When you arrived, we told you that you were on our land. The words spoken are important. Take the example of the caribou. We have to protect our rights, our elders, their knowledge, everything they know, their languages, in concrete ways. We have to put them first at all times. The organization that is to be created should emphasis language, culture, elders. The report written by the United Nations said that the culture had to be defended. That is also what our elders say. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls for that respect.
We ourselves are really in the east, but the decisions are often made in the west and the documents should really be sent to us in French. Women are important too, and room must be made for Innu women. We must not forget the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
The government has to listen to us. It must be made to listen. We should have that power. Prime Minister Trudeau is the one responsible for this.
It is up to you to give us back our voice.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Thank you for your presentation, Chief Piétacho.
We apologize for the technical difficulties.
With that, we will go to the round of questions beginning with Mr. Melillo, for six minutes.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Actually, Mr. Chair, it's going to be Mr. Vidal. I'm sorry you didn't get informed of the change.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Thank you, sir.
Thank you to all the witnesses today for your testimony and your contribution to this bill and for trying to make it as strong and good a bill as possible.
I have a few questions for Ms. Wilson first, please.
I appreciate many of the things you said and many of the areas that you struck on. I'm only going to get to a few of them. If it sounds like I'm hurrying, it's because I am because I want to get to a number of them.
You talked about the calls to action, and the call to action 56 explicitly states that the Prime Minister should answer to the National Council for Reconciliation's annual report that gets presented ultimately to Parliament through the minister, but the legislation actually passes that responsibility to the minister, not the Prime Minister.
Would you agree that should be amended back to ensuring that the Prime Minister responds and reports to that?
4:45 p.m.
Former Commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, As an Individual
Yes, I personally would agree. Just as I made the point, no disregard intended to this committee, I also think that anything that narrows the focus to indigenous only or an Indigenous concern only misses the point of all of Canada, so I do agree with that.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Thank you. I appreciate that. I know I'm doing a little bit of a rapid fire here. I appreciate your response.
You talked as well about independence and in the bill there's a section on protocol. Clause 16 talks about the minister, in collaboration with the council, developing a protocol respecting the disclosure of information by the Government of Canada to the council.
I'm a little bit concerned, and I wonder if you share the concern that it would be the responsibility of the minister to develop the protocol and the information that is provided to the council. I'm not sure that the minister should be the one who is dictating the protocol to the council that's ultimately going to hold the government to account for reconciliation.
Would you agree that maybe the language could be changed to have somebody else develop that protocol?