[Witness spoke in Mohawk]
[English]
My name is Mary Hannaburg. I'm a member of the Kanesatake Mohawk community, and I live on the territory. I am a mother, a grandmother and an aunt.
Thank you very much for the invitation to the people's house.
In 1996, I went to see Sister Mary Two-Axe Earley, a pioneer woman who fought alongside all the other women, and who also fought with Nellie Carlson. Before she passed away at the hospital, she told me on her deathbed that it was up to me to continue the fight.
I'm here today. It's been a long and arduous fight. Throughout the decades, I've been involved in the fight that has seen Bill C-31, Bill C-3 and Bill S-3, following the Descheneaux decision. I've fought alongside many other women in the same fight for equality against the ongoing discrimination in the Indian Act.
This is what I have seen. It's a non-priority with the government. It doesn't matter; it's not a priority.
As a mental health worker in my community, I have witnessed that the second generation cut-off impacts community members on a day-to-day basis. These impacts include loss of culture; loss of language; no access to services, such as psychologists and therapists covered by non-insured health benefits; no medical transportation—you cannot ride the bus; no educational funding; no access to culturally appropriate resources, such as detox centres, especially with the growing problem of alcohol and opiate addiction; inability to own or inherit land to build a home; inability to participate in voting for your elected leadership in your community; and inability to be buried in a cemetery with your own kin. This is how it impacts our lives on a daily basis.
Exclusion and denial of services equal loss of sense of belonging, loss of hope, loss of purpose and loss of connection. The discrimination has an impact on our sense of belonging, which is a fundamental human need. You feel less than. You're not enough. It causes grave psychological, emotional, spiritual and economic harm.
There is a Kanesatake Mohawk community-specific data sheet. You will each receive one or you have them. As of December 31, 2025, 36.54% in section 6(2) are registered. This is what genocide looks like.
I've seen that community members are impacted; yet, they are reluctant to speak out for fear of outing themselves because discriminatory policies have been internalized. I have seen incited violence within my own community as a result of the lack of resources. It would be irresponsible to bring about these changes without the necessary addition to community funding. I will give you an example of a blanket. Adding more people to the blanket, which represents the resources, means it never gets bigger. This is what causes violence and racism.
The MMIWG2S+ report in 2019 explicitly identified discriminatory policies as having a direct connection with increased violence towards indigenous women. It broadened the gap and increased the risk.
I agree with Mr. Troy Chalifoux, who presented in the previous session. The work has already been done for you.
There are ongoing talks of consultation, when the solution has already been brought forward on many occasions and in various documents. Lengthy litigation has been taking our precious time away from our families, when the government knows that this is a discriminatory policy and practice. It is reluctant to change under the guise of a need for additional consultation, knowing that no consultation was had when my mother was stripped of her rights. It was devastating for my mother. Her broken connection was stolen from her. My mother was a fluent speaker. She had ties to her community, but she could not live there.
There are solutions spelled out in a document. It's called “Make it Stop!” This document was sent to you.
I would like to see the solutions that are spelled out so that this is rectified before I find myself on my deathbed. I do not want to leave this for the next generation to fight. We deserve to just be.
Governments move quickly on certain bills and laws, such as Bill C-5, without any long-term consultation. It suits their political agenda. There's no need for broader consultation. Then there's the political will, and it moves.
Please work to pass Bill S-2 with the Senate amendments. We've waited far too long.
Niawen’kó:wa. Skén:nen. Peace.