Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, this is my first time rising in this House. I want to thank the good people from Sydney—Victoria for electing me as their member of Parliament. I would also like to thank all the volunteers whose hard work resulted in our victory. [Member spoke in Mi’kmaq and provid

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, being the first-ever Mi'kmaq member of Parliament who is also a member of the Eskasoni First Nation, I want to acknowledge the significant role indigenous people have played in Canada's history. Our government is committed to working together to advocate for indigeno

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, in order to help address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, the Indigenous Leadership Initiative hosted the Land Needs Guardians conference in Ottawa. They shared that indigenous nations are at the forefront of a growing movement to create indige

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  [Member spoke in Mi'kmaq] [English] Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the Algonquin territory which we meet on today. Many of us have acknowledged the traditional territories of indigenous nations on whose land we meet. Some of us go as far as to say we are on unceded l

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Mr. Speaker, where we have arrived at in this country requires us to talk with respect. When leaders in the opposition can talk respectfully about indigenous issues, I will applaud that. I do not feel that there has been respectful discussion by the Leader of the Opposition. I he

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Mr. Speaker, I reject the premise that reconciliation is not formed out of crisis. I feel that reconciliation is something that has been 150 years or more in the making. We can all look at recent events and question the government on our actions, but has any other government in t

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Algonquin nation. I would just like to take the time to say that I will be sharing my time with the member for Surrey Centre. I stand here today to discuss the amendments to Canada's ci

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, it is important to recognize the Constitution. There were many first nations who were a part of the dialogue moving forward in determining the Constitution. My father was a legal adviser for the Mi'kmaq grand council and he advocated for section 35. Within section

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, I believe that all across Canada the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a blueprint for reconciliation. However, within that blueprint, it is not just the federal government doing its part. I was a treaty education lead for five years before I became an MP an

MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate a Cape Breton teacher and musician. Mr. Carter Chiasson, a teacher at Allison Bernard Memorial High School in Eskasoni, was awarded the 2020 MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award. This award recognizes inspirational and passi

Support for Local Artists  Madam Speaker, during this time of COVID crisis, when many of us have been doing our part to socially distance, we have found solace and comfort in the arts. Music, poetry, television and literature have all become more meaningful in this challenging time, offering escape and rel

Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia  Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I was just about to ask the leader of the NDP if he would mind amending that motion because the 1752 treaty is not the one recognized in the Marshall case. It was the 1760-61 treaty that was recognized in the Marshall case. Other than that, I hav

Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia  Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Leader of the Opposition went to law school and graduated in 2003. I graduated in 2004 from the same law school. While I was there, I was taught that there are three laws in Canada: the English common law, the French civil law and indigenous law

Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia  Madam Speaker, I am joining the House today from the Eskasoni community, the Mi'kmaq community, the largest Mi'kmaq first nation in the heart of Mi'kma'ki, on the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq. I rise today as the lone Mi'kmaq MP in the House, the only MP of Mi'kmaq descent th

Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia  Madam Speaker, one of the things we have to understand is that the Mi'kmaq have been governing and policing themselves for a very long time. I have talked to the minister about this. We said that we would increase the police presence there. We have had this conversation. With re