Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2020

Bills of Exchange Act

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

moved that Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation), be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by acknowledging that the House sits on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe.

It is a great honour to rise today and speak to Bill C-5, an important bill that seeks to create a new federal statutory holiday, a national day for truth and reconciliation. It is important that we recognize and thank Georgina Jolibois for bringing this bill forward in the last Parliament, but more importantly for being a strong advocate for indigenous rights and a voice for indigenous peoples not only in her riding, but across all of Canada. I also want to thank and acknowledge the hon. member for Burnaby South for supporting this important piece of legislation.

I have had the honour to speak in the House on our country's path toward reconciliation, and I know that reconciliation does not belong to a single political party or single individual. It is a shared responsibility for each and every one of us.

This bill is an important step on the journey that we are taking together. I am proud to work with members of all political parties on this legislative measure.

Some members of the House may have had the privilege of hearing the testimony given before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage when it examined Georgina Jolibois's bill in the previous Parliament. The testimony we heard strengthened our conviction that it is important to pass this bill.

Much of that moving and powerful testimony focused on the potential benefits of a national day for truth and reconciliation. For example, National Chief Robert Bertrand of the Congress for Aboriginal Peoples said:

A statutory holiday will be an important opportunity to reflect upon the diverse heritage and culture of our people, which remain so vitally important to the social fabric of this country. In doing so, each and every one of us will be working towards the reality of true reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Similarly, Mrs. Theresa Brown, the chair of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation's Survivors Circle, spoke powerfully about the importance of a national day of reflection for residential school survivors. She said:

A special, separate day when our grandchildren could go out and lay a wreath, lay tobacco, pray and remember is important to me and other survivors. It is also a time for this country to remember and say “never again”. We want to know that when we are gone, our spirit of truth and reconciliation will live on in our future generations.

Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, testified as follows:

...the creation of a statutory holiday provides a greater weight and allows for more education and a bigger platform for us. If you think about holidays, statutory holidays, and how they've been allocated over time, they have been colonial in nature and they have thought about the founding of this country, not necessarily about indigenous peoples within Canada. This would be a marked departure from that legacy.

He went on to say the following:

This holiday can go a long way to making sure that from a very early age, all Canadians have a positive association with first nations, Inuit and Métis.

Mr. Obed's first point speaks to the importance and status of national holidays in Canada, and I would like to remind this chamber that the act of creating a new statutory holiday is, in itself, quite significant. Right now there are nine federally legislated statutory holidays in Canada. A national day for truth and reconciliation would join in rank of importance with holidays like Labour Day and Remembrance Day, highlighting the significance and scope of this day.

During the testimony we heard, many groups expressed points of view similar to those I just quoted about the meaning and impact of a day of commemoration.

The residential school system was indeed a national tragedy. Over the span of 130 years, more than 150,000 first nations, Inuit and Métis children were placed in residential schools. These children were forcibly separated from their parents, their homes, their culture, their language, their land, their relations and their communities.

This day is important. It is an opportunity to reflect on the harm inflicted on first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples throughout our history and to this day by the legacy of residential schools. We are working to repair that harm by responding the the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's calls to action.

Call to action number 80 calls upon our government to:

establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Today, we want to answer that call to action.

After careful consultations and respectful consideration, September 30 was the date chosen deliberately for its significance. Currently, September 30 is the date of the grassroots movement called Orange Shirt Day, started by the formidable Phyllis Webstad. It was named after the orange shirt that Mrs. Webstad was given by her grandmother on her first day of residential school, only to have it forcibly taken away from her upon her arrival. Her orange shirt is symbolic of the vibrant cultures, languages, traditions, identities and childhoods that were repressed within the residential school system. It is also a symbol of survivors like Phyllis and the monumental efforts by first nations, Inuit and Métis in protecting and revitalizing their cultures and languages for future generations.

From testimony in committee we learned that September is a symbolically painful time for indigenous families and communities. Every year during the month of September children were separated from their loved ones and their community to go back to school. It is important to acknowledge this pain with a solemn day to remember the past, reflect on it and learn together to gain a better knowledge of the history and legacy of residential schools.

It has always been my belief that one of the pillars of reconciliation is education. Establishing a national day for truth and reconciliation is education in action. For all those living in Canada, this would be a day of commemoration, but also a day to learn about a dark chapter of our past. It would serve as a reminder to never forget and never veer from the path toward reconciliation.

Students still go back to school every year in September. The proposed date, September 30, for a national day of truth and reconciliation not only has symbolic importance, but it also provides an opportunity for learning within our schools about our journey toward reconciliation. Teachers across the country will be able to build on discussions about residential schools that are already under way in many schools. Families will have a reason to talk about reconciliation at home. Canadians will have a day to reflect on our history and our values as a society.

I like to think about the day when schools across the country will mark this holiday with ceremonies, as a day of learning. I hope they will invite elders or survivors, indigenous knowledge holders and educators to come into classrooms to talk with the children.

I think of the way that schools across the country use Remembrance Day as an educational tool for children of all ages to learn about the historic conflicts that Canada has been involved in, to understand the horrors of war and, above all, to honour the women and men who have sacrificed so much in serving this country. I believe that a new day for truth and reconciliation is an excellent learning opportunity for this equally important part of Canada's history.

Unfortunately, only half of Canadians know the history of the Indian residential school system and its long-term effects on indigenous peoples.

The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada states that too many Canadians know little or nothing about the the deep historical roots of these conflicts. This lack of historical knowledge has serious consequences for first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and for Canada as a whole. Setting aside a special day each year to take the time to acknowledge this painful history will help everyone learn and understand more about the realities of the residential school era. This is a positive step on our path toward reconciliation. This type of commemoration is a collective, public act of recognition.

This will also be a day of listening and healing for the entire country. Together we can continue our conversation on social justice.

As Dr. Marie Wilson, former commissioner for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, noted in her testimony to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage:

It makes it everybody's call to attention, call to remembrance, and call to respect, and hopefully...there is ongoing education about it. We don't just talk about wars; we talk about peace in the context of talking about wars. In the context of residential schools, we can talk about mistakes of the past and what we are trying to do to address things going forward.

Mr. Tim Argetsinger, political advisor to the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, agreed. He said:

I think there's a way of achieving that balance where the focus of a day could be a focus on the past human rights abuses that indigenous peoples have experienced and have worked to overcome. At the same time, it could be the day to focus on the agency that we all have to take positive actions to address some of the challenges that flow from those past experiences.

I want to underscore that reconciliation and advancing indigenous rights remain a constant priority for our government. Some people will say that a single day will not resolve the horrors of the past and will do nothing to improve the unacceptable living conditions that still exist in some communities to this day. I believe, however, that remembering the past is an effective way to ensure that history is not repeated.

Systemic racism and overt racism exist in Canada. They are not and will never be acceptable. Recently, we were reminded of the horrific consequences they can have. The events that preceded the death of Joyce Echaquan shocked us all. They outraged us, but should not surprise us. They are not isolated events.

Addressing systemic racism in all our institutions requires active listening, strong public policy and making more equitable representation at all levels of society. Honouring the victims of institutional racism, whatever form it may have taken throughout history, is a first step. Making sure that these atrocities against indigenous peoples cease completely is our everyday priority.

This national day for truth and reconciliation will be an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on and question their own individual biases and assumptions. Working on them will require a continuous and collective endeavour beyond September 30.

I implore members of the House to listen carefully to the testimony of the survivors and indigenous leaders who are telling us how a national day of recognition would help heal the wounds of the past, honour survivors and move forward together towards reconciliation.

We must also continue to work tirelessly to quickly resolve the many problems faced by indigenous communities today. Access to drinking water, for example, is vital.

Our government is committed to eliminating all boil water advisories, in the long term, in first nations communities living on reserve. We recognize and affirm the right of communities to have access to safe drinking water. As a result of this commitment, 95 boil water advisories have been lifted since 2015.

In the preceding parliament, we passed an important law to reform child and family services with the goal of reducing the number of indigenous children in care. The law also allows first nations, the Inuit and the Métis to have full authority over child services so they can make the decisions that will ensure the well-being of their children, families and communities. There is a crisis in indigenous communities. Too many children are taken away from their homes and communities.

We are also committed to the reclamation, revitalization and strengthening of indigenous languages. A historic piece of legislation, the Indigenous Languages Act, received royal assent on June 21, 2019. This legislation was developed in collaboration with indigenous peoples. It recognizes the language rights of indigenous peoples and sets out how we will support these languages.

Canadian Heritage is working collaboratively with indigenous partners to implement the Indigenous Languages Act. The department is consulting with indigenous governments, governing bodies and a variety of organizations on the appointment of a commissioner and three directors of indigenous languages, as well as the development of an indigenous languages funding model. These are important successes, yet we can all agree that there is so much more we need to do.

I look forward to continuing to work hard with indigenous peoples across the country to make further progress on these and other crucial issues.

Canada has embarked upon a path to reconciliation. With each step, Canadians are able to better understand the lives, challenges and points of view of indigenous peoples from the past and present.

In introducing this bill to create a national day for truth and reconciliation, the Government of Canada is hoping to encourage people across the country to learn about indigenous history, come together and get involved to support these efforts and help their communities move forward on the path to reconciliation.

Although we all have different journeys and experiences, every Canadian has a unique and essential role to play as we walk together on this path toward reconciliation and a stronger, more resilient Canada.

I think it fitting to close with the words of Ms. Georgina Jolibois, who said, “People in Canada are capable of mourning the past while also celebrating the present and looking toward the future.” I urge all members to support this legislation so that our country can honour survivors and mark the history of residential schools with a day for recognition, reflection, commemoration, education and engagement.

We must recognize that others have come before us to chart this path. The commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission gave so much of themselves to ensure that the voices of others were heard. Those who testified, leaders and indigenous communities across Canada, as well as current and former parliamentarians, including Georgina Jolibois, called for a national day, as is set out in this bill. I thank them all.

Meegwetch, marsi.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think anyone in this House could disagree that there is an essential need for a day of remembrance, but a lot of concerns have been raised to me by my indigenous constituents that creating a new federal holiday on which civil servants would not be working could hurt indigenous people.

Indigenous people have so many needs that have been listed and I want the minister to assure my indigenous constituents that there will be somebody to pick up the phone when they have a need on the national day of remembrance.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government and the federal system have been working and will continue to work to ensure that we can provide all the necessary services for indigenous peoples across this country.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

I applaud the introduction of this bill. It is important to take time to reflect and remember, but I think that we need to go much further than that. This bill responds to call to action no. 80 in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.

I would like to draw members' attention to call to action no. 43, which calls upon the federal government to fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I would like to know whether my colleague agrees that we should implement this declaration to truly achieve reconciliation. Will he ask his government to make that a priority?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.

Obviously, we are committed to doing that. It is a priority for our government, and we will move forward with adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the minister for recognizing Georgina Jolibois and her work. The way the minister did it was very classy and respectful for Georgina, who worked tirelessly on this and also was, in the spirit of what this day is trying to do, very collaborative. She was very dedicated to reaching out to not only the communities, but also this place.

The bill, as the minister knows, died in the Senate. It is very important that we move this bill forward in unity as a Parliament. I would ask the minister whether he is prepared to work to ensure this bill moves quickly through the House and the Senate.

I again thank him for recognizing Georgina. I saw how hard she worked on this, the effort she put into it and what it meant to her. It means a lot to everyone and it is important that we move forward, but only by recognizing the past and having the past included in our future.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as we say in English, we should give credit where credit is due. It was absolutely natural for us to do this. I want to assure the member that we will work diligently with all members of this House and the Senate to ensure this bill is adopted as quickly as possible.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful to see this put forward today and to be up for debate. I was part of the committee that studied the bill put forward by Georgina Jolibois in the last Parliament, and I know how important it is. Having heard from all the witnesses, I know they really are going to be so happy to see we are moving forward and making it a priority.

The minister touched upon this a bit in his speech, but why this chosen date? I know there has been discussion about it, but why is September 30 the most important date for us to use for the national day for truth and reconciliation?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the consultations done during the last Parliament on this bill and the testimonies we heard through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, it became clear that September 30, Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots movement in Canada led by indigenous peoples across the country, was really the most significant day to create this national federal statutory holiday to remember what happened and what Canada has done to indigenous peoples across the country. We want to work to ensure that Canadians, but especially younger Canadians, understand this part of our past so that never again should this happen in the future.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, one of the privileges I have seen as a member of Parliament is that it has actually helped me learn more and understand my own ignorance as far as reconciliation and the need for reconciliation.

The minister quite rightly points out the need for education because so many Canadians are unaware of this dark chapter in our history. In the bill, there is really no plan to develop an educational strategy. He did compare how this would be similar to Remembrance Day. On Remembrance Day, the federal government and schools and everybody really put an effort forward to allow young people and all Canadians to learn about these tragic parts of our history.

I was wondering if the minister could comment on whether there are any plans for education. One of the concerns with this bill is there does not appear to be a plan for an educational part of this whole process. When we debated Remembrance Day, I remember people worrying and not wanting it to just becoming a holiday but a learning experience.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a very important issue, and in fact, Canadian Heritage does have programs for educational activities as part of this. This is something we want to continue going into the future and maybe even amplify. It is a very good point.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his speech.

I would like to know whether he recognizes that the federal Indian Act is a racist and outdated piece of legislation that needs a complete overhaul.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

I think there are so many things we need to do on our journey towards reconciliation with indigenous peoples. Also, I am not saying that the bill I am introducing today will solve every problem.

However, this was one of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and it is something we heard from coast to coast to coast during the consultations held by that commission and by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

It is one step towards reconciliation, but there is a lot more work to do.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for continuing the work started by my former colleague, Georgina Jolibois, and I thank him for the kind words he said about her today.

In this spirit of reconciliation, dialogue and moving forward, I would like to know if he is willing to commit his government to dropping the court challenge of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling on indigenous child welfare.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for his question.

I said this just now in answer to the member for Joliette, and I will say it again. This bill is one step towards reconciliation with indigenous peoples. There are many other things we have to do.

For example, in my speech, I talked about implementing the Indigenous Languages Act, which is an absolutely crucial element. We are currently holding nationwide consultations about the implementation of that act. I heard one participant say that language is culture and culture is language, and I certainly agree with that.

There is still so much more we need to do. Our government is walking the path of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and it is a process that will take a lot more time.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to be here. Imagine living beside a home for years and knowing the families who went through there, only to find out, after growing up and moving away, that unspeakable horrors took place in that house. Members should put themselves in that position right now, because for me, that is what we are talking about today.

Orange Shirt Day originated in my hometown of Williams Lake. St. Joseph's Mission was just down the road from where I grew up. I played ball hockey there. I swam there. Later in life, I rode motorbikes, played in the fields and rode horses through there. I played with many of the kids. I know many of the kids who came through there. Orange Shirt Day for me, every year, strikes home the fact that we never know exactly what is going on right beside us.

Over the years I have gotten to know a number of survivors of the residential school program. They tell horrific stories. My wife and my children are from the Esdilagh First Nation. One of my dear friends and mentors, even though he is younger, is Chief Willie Sellars of the Williams Lake Indian Band. St. Joseph's Mission and the remnants of the mission still reside in their community. As people drive by it, every day, it is a constant reminder of the atrocities that took place right there. That is what Orange Shirt Day means to me.

In the House we were talking about Remembrance Day and the significance of remembering, every day, those who serve our country and our community. It is not enough for us to use one day to remember their service. We have to remember it every day. Orange Shirt Day, for me and for many, is similar: Every day we must remember these atrocities.

We have to understand our past. We currently live in an era of a cancel culture. We want to erase all this: Tear down statues and erase the past. What we need is to remember our past. Without our past, we do not know where we have been. Without our past, we have no idea who we are today. Without our past, we do not know where we are going.

I had the honour of speaking during debate on the Indigenous Languages Act. I spoke of an elder in my riding, Lheidli T'enneh elder Mary Gouchie, who was one of the last speakers of the Dakelh language in my riding. I had the honour of being with her and sitting with her, and she would share stories with me. She instilled in me that our past is so important. Culture is so important, and knowing one's culture. As I said, my children, my son and my daughter, are first nations, yet they have very little knowledge of their past or their history. I think that is shameful.

I mentioned my friend, Chief Willie Sellars. He is a mentor who is leading his community to overcome its challenges and to learn from the mistakes of the past. He is leading them to greater opportunities moving forward.

He is an accomplished author, and wrote Dipnetting with Dad and Hockey with Dad. I urge my colleagues in the House and those who are listening to please source those books. They are easy reads, but they are impactful.

Orange Shirt Day is the story of Phyllis Jack. Her grandmother took her to a store and bought her a nice orange shirt for her first day of school. She went on the bus to St. Joseph's Mission, and immediately upon arriving on the mission grounds, she had that orange shirt ripped off of her. The residential school program was designed to eradicate the race: the first nation, or the native, in those children. Over 150,000 first nations, Inuit and Métis children went through that program, and so many did not make it out.

September 30 is a day to honour the survivors: those who came through the program. It is also to remember those who did not make it through. My colleague had a great question for the minister about the teaching of this subject. My worry with the program is that it becomes just another excuse for a holiday. I will go back to my earlier comments: Imagine living beside a house of horrors. We should never forget. We need to learn from that past and ensure that it never happens again. The orange shirt slogan is that every child matters. We need to ensure that we are bringing equity up so that every child truly does matter.

I think we use reconciliation like a buzzword at times. We have seen it with certain programs and policies that have taken place. We have seen that we still have boil water advisories in first nations. I will be the first to admit those boil water advisories have been longstanding and that no one case is the same as another. It is not one-size-fits-all. It is very complex, but we have to work to be better.

We have suicide epidemics, where children as young as four years old are choosing death to get out of their lot in life. One of the first emergency debates that I took part in, in the House, was regarding the Attawapiskat First Nation suicide epidemic. Sadly, today we still have those same concerns and those same challenges are taking place. Reconciliation is about walking a path together, not pitting one first nation against another first nation, picking winners or losers, or pitting first nations against non-first nations. If we are truly devoted and committed to reconciliation, it is about working together and learning from one another.

I spoke to a couple of first nations leaders about my speech today. They have heard me talk before. They have heard my comments about reconciliation being more than a buzzword: more than something for a politician to stand with hand on heart and perhaps a tissue in hand to dab away a fake tear and say, “This is my most important relationship,” while we still have communities that have boil water advisories and that suffer atrocious living conditions.

If we are truly going to walk the path, we have to educate. We cannot develop indigenous policy without indigenous people at the table. We cannot chart a path forward unless we have honest conversation, and honest conversation means we are not always going to agree. In my riding of Cariboo—Prince George, an area that I grew up running through, and fishing, hunting and hiking in, belongs to the Tsilhqot’in Nation, where the Supreme Court decision in the William case took place.

We have challenges with first nations and non-first-nations people who have lived side by side for generations. It is a delicate balance for me always, because I have friends and relations on both sides. We always have to remember that the path forward is through honest conversation and education.

Phyllis Jack, in writing and telling her story, hoped that it would spur a movement and that it would help to educate people. The conversation that we are having today on this, and that we have had over the last number of years, is so important. Our shared history, our connection to our past, is often immediate. The way we understand our heritage is passed down, for the most part, through books, memories and communication among communities. However, our shared history is also influenced by our own race, colour and creed. Although these are shared between people, they are also shared very differently. It is so important, as we walk together, that we understand that we all have different stories. I am sure some of my colleagues are hearing this story for the first time today. Phyllis's story is important, and is but one. I urge my colleagues to listen.

I sat in some of the talking circles when the truth and reconciliation study was going on, and we heard heartbreaking stories. Last September 30 on Orange Shirt Day, I did a healing circle in my hometown, and some survivors were there. The generational effects of residential school still impact those families. Although the last school closed in 1981 or 1984, that generational negative impact is still going on to this day. It is seen in lateral violence. It is seen in substance abuse. It is seen in the abject poverty these communities live in.

I hope my colleagues listening in or who are in the House today are taking pause. We should be looking at some things in the legislation and hopefully making amendments to strengthen it and make it better.

When talk about education, school district 27 in my riding was chosen by the first nations education steering committee to pilot curriculum changes for all grade five and 10 students, reflecting on the residential school experience. The events were designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of survivors and their families and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.

Phyllis (Jack) Webstad told her story about the first day at the residential school when the shiny new shirt her grandmother bought her was taken from her. She was six years old.

The minister mentioned September 30 and why it was chosen. For kids right across our country and for parents too, for the most part, that back to school day is a sense of excitement. It is excitement for the parents because they are able to send their kids to school and are free for a few hours every day. They are excited to see their children go off on a journey of learning. However, that time of celebration for many is still one of reflection for others. It is very traumatic, and I have witnessed it first-hand.

While we say every child matters, we need to remember that all children matter even if they are now adults. We have so many people who are still locked in that time when they were in that program.

A first nations leader called me last night. I had reached out to let him know I was speaking on this. He asked much of what my colleague from Sturgeon River asked. Will this do anything to solve the boil water advisories, the systemic racism or the suicide epidemics? No, it will not, but it is a step in the right direction to further educate about this. Education is such a critical component and it needs to be included in the bill.

We cannot just make a holiday for the sake of giving people another long weekend to load up their campers and go away. At the very end, we will be doing a disservice to the original intent of the bill. It is important we build that into the bill to ensure we never forget.

Whether it is September 30, as proposed, or some other day, we must remember the over 150,000 residential school children, the first nations, Inuit and Métis who went through that. We must honour the survivors and never forget the children who never made it home.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the comments of the minister, I mean the member opposite no doubt come from the heart, and I genuinely appreciate that.

Throughout this debate, it is important for us to recognize that a commission recommended 94 calls to action. The vast majority, 70-plus, indicated that the federal government needed to be more directly involved, and this is one of those.

The general feeling is that the legislation is a positive step forward. It is more than symbolism. The best way to deal with truth and reconciliation is through education. In many ways it is the key in dealing with truth and reconciliation. I think we underestimate the potential of that cross-cultural awareness and education. These things can make be profoundly positive and make a difference.

By recognizing a day to allow civil society to take advantage of that through educational programs, we will all be better as a society. Could the member comment on that?

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the promotion he gave me by calling me “minister”; hopefully someday.

I agree that education is critically important. I spent a lifetime overseas working with other countries. I always used to say that we spent millions upon millions of dollars, billions likely, to figure out other cultures and how to do work and do business with them, but we have failed to do that at home. We have not sat down and learned our lessons. As I said in my comments, that educational component is vital and it is lacking in the current act. We need to ensure that education is critically important.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

I would like him to comment further on something he touched on earlier, which is the fact that this statutory holiday must not be just another day off. It is meant to be an opportunity to fulfill our duty to commemorate and educate.

I would like to know what he expects from parliamentarians in particular.

For example, what would he like us all to do in our ridings to honour this day?

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I fear that it becomes just another excuse for people, for families, to load up their trailers, go camping and be together.

We, as the 338 members of Parliament who were elected to be here, have to act as examples. We try to do our very best in my riding to participate in events. Sometimes we are here and we acknowledge that day in the House of Commons.

There are many things we could do. I urge my colleagues to reach out to their local first nations communities, to truly find the elders within those communities and see if they are willing to openly talk about the impacts they may have experienced with residential schools programs.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's comments were heartfelt and they did move me today.

I am a teacher by training, so listening to the member talk about the value of education is very important to me. I am also a mother, so thinking about what happened to children and their parents with residential schools is very important to me. I shudder at what they have gone through.

This week in Alberta, there were some leaked curriculum documents in which the education on residential schools was pulled from the curriculum. At a time when we all need to be doing more to ensure Canadians know about what happened with residential schools, it is being taken out of our curriculum in Alberta.

Remembering history is important, acknowledging harm done is important and recognizing what was done to indigenous peoples is important.

I wonder if the member could let us know if he will support the expedited passage of the bill to the Senate.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there was a lot in that question. This is the second time we have discussed this bill. I have expressed some of my concerns on it. Obviously, I think my colleagues can see where I and my party stand on this.

We want to ensure that due diligence is done, and not just with this bill. We want to ensure that what has taken place in Alberta does not take place elsewhere. We want to ensure we work with our provincial colleagues and with those in the House and in the other place to ensure the bill receives royal assent and becomes possible, so we have a national day of recognition. However, we have to ensure that the significance of this day is never lost, that we remember that every child matters and that we strive to do better.

I will be working hard with our shadow minister on this issue and with those across the way.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

We will need to leave that for the moment. The hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George will have three minutes remaining for questions and comments when the House gets back to debate on this matter.

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is World Polio Day and I would like to thank all rotary clubs in Canada, including local rotary clubs at our binational Rotary District 6400, for their efforts to help end polio around the world. I congratulate Jennifer Jones, a fellow Windsorite, on her historic appointment as the first woman president in Rotary International's 115-year history.

The global polio eradication initiative has helped vaccinate 2.5 billion children since 1988, but we know that the job is not yet done. In May, our government announced $190 million in funding over four years for GPEI and I am proud of Canada's strong leadership on the global health stage.

Around the world, efforts to eradicate polio have already prevented 18 million cases of paralysis. This is one of the great global health success stories of the last 30 years and our government will remain a partner every step of the way as we move closer to eradication.

Saskatoon Tribal Council Election

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mark Arcand for being re-elected tribal chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council on October 15.

The Saskatoon Tribal Council represents 11,000 people in seven distinct first nations, including the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, where Chief Arcand hails from. Chief Arcand is committed to helping youth excel and build their dreams through developing the gifts of each child. As the leader of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, he is a tireless advocate for improved facilities and programming, especially for vulnerable people in Saskatoon.

The Saskatoon Tribal Council operates family health and wellness programs, a legal advocate centre, a job training centre, and affordable housing, as well as the White Buffalo Youth Lodge, a facility that takes youth off the street and offers them alternatives to homelessness and addiction. The Saskatoon Tribal Council seeks to develop economic capacity within indigenous communities. It helps create business and industry partnerships in promoting sustainable wealth creations for first nation communities.

Once again, I congratulate the Saskatoon Tribal Council and Chief Mark Arcand.