Again, I don't apologize for my way of being, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
There are so many thoughts going through my head. It's a funny thing, because I had to be re-educated too. The term that my husband helped me use was decolonization. I had to be decolonized. I did that with the land and I did it in the community of Lutselk'e, because I didn't know the difference between the Indian Act and the treaty. The people of Lutselk'e taught me very, very well, and I'm proud to be from there. I'm also a proud member of the Mistawasis first peoples, because I was born there.
The land here loves us all; Mother Earth loves us all. When I first came to the north, I got out of a vehicle in Fort Providence and this energy ran up my legs. I said she's either going to make me or break me. Believe me, I was very mixed up. I was three years in recovery when I came to the north. I was bouncing all over the place and I didn't know it; I thought that was normal. So the north has been very, very kind to me. My sisters at the table here have all contributed to my well-being in one way or another, and I acknowledge that. More than all, I acknowledge the Creator. When we have aboriginal meetings we always acknowledge the Creator. I know in my job that we're implementing spiritual health. It's part of recovery. I think we all need that spirituality.
I would like to see this committee acknowledge the whole thing about the treaty and the nationhood. That's the start. How can we amend that? I know Canada is doing it. What's going on is that there's an economic base here; there are corporations and governments. As human beings, we have a tendency to get greedy. It's our nature to be in the place we are. If we don't acknowledge the Creator and ask for that kind of help, we're in big trouble, because we're human beings.
I don't know what else to say, other than I hear you, sister. It's nice to hear that. It's nice to come to things like that for a change and to hear that you've heard us. I'll just leave it at that.