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Results: 1 - 15 of 69
View Leah Gazan Profile
NDP (MB)
View Leah Gazan Profile
2021-06-14 14:48 [p.8337]
Mr. Speaker, 104 potential graves of children have now been found at the former Brandon Indian Residential School. Chief Bone is calling on the government to “enact legislation to protect all residential school cemeteries.” The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs called for all documents related to the schools to be released, and Southern Chiefs' Organization in Manitoba is calling for “the [UN] and its High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide oversight”.
Will the government immediately heed these calls from impacted nations to respond to this genocide?
View Carolyn Bennett Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our hearts are with all of these communities dealing with these stark realities in terms of the discoveries at Tk'emlúps. We will be there as a government to support all communities with whatever they need for healing, gatherings, commemoration or archaeological expertise. We will be there for all the communities affected by this terrible discovery.
View Jamie Schmale Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, today marks the 13th anniversary of then prime minister Stephen Harper's historic apology for Canada's role in the residential school system.
The legacy of residential schools is a national shame that has had a profoundly lasting and destructive impact on indigenous peoples, their culture, heritage and language. With the tragic discovery of 215 children in an unmarked grave at the site of a former Kamloops residential school, we are reminded of our indolence. All of us on all sides of the House must accept our role in that apathy.
More work needs to be done to address the devastating and harmful effects of residential schools, which continue for the many survivors and their families today. The government must stop off-loading its commitment to reconcile with indigenous peoples. Rather, the government must renew that commitment without delay with concrete plans to implement calls to action 71 through 76.
View Jamie Schmale Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-30, the budget implementation act, 2021, no. 1.
Before I do so, I want to take the opportunity afforded to members in this place to speak to another issue of national importance.
Canada has stood in mourning with the survivors of residential schools and their families after the recent tragic discovery of 215 children in an unmarked grave at the former Kamloops residential school. Last week, I was asked by the former chief of the Tk'emlúps first nation, Manny Jules, to read a poem of healing for the nation, and I ask members for their understanding and patience as I do so now. I hope from the way he read it to me, that I can do this justice.
This poem is entitled Monster, a Residential School Experience, by Dennis Saddleman:
I HATE YOU RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLI HATE YOUYOU’RE A MONSTERA HUGE HUNGRY MONSTERBUILT WITH STEEL BONESBUILT WITH CEMENT FLESHYOU’RE A MONSTERBUILT TO DEVOURINNOCENT NATIVE CHILDRENYOU’RE A COLD-HEARTED MONSTERCOLD AS THE CEMENT FLOORSYOU HAVE NO LOVENO GENTLE ATMOSPHEREYOUR UGLY FACE GROOVED WITH RED BRICKSYOUR MONSTER EYES GLAREFROM GRIMY WINDOWSMONSTER EYES SO EVILMONSTER EYES WATCHINGTERRIFIED CHILDRENCOWER WITH SHAMEI HATE YOU RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL I HATE YOUYOU’RE A SLIMY MONSTER OOZING IN THE SHADOWS OF MY PASTGO AWAY LEAVE ME ALONEYOU’RE FOLLOWING ME FOLLOWING ME WHEREVER I GOYOU’RE IN MY DREAMS IN MY MEMORIESGO AWAY MONSTER GO AWAYI HATE YOU YOU’RE FOLLOWING MEI HATE YOU RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL I HATE YOUYOU’RE A MONSTER WITH HUGE WATERY MOUTHMOUTH OF DOUBLE DOORSYOUR WIDE MOUTH TOOK MEYOUR YELLOW STAINED TEETH CHEWEDTHE INDIAN OUT OF MEYOUR TEETH CRUNCHED MY LANGUAGEGRINDED MY RITUALS AND MY TRADITIONSYOUR TASTE BUDS BECAME BITTERWHEN YOU TASTED MY RED SKINYOU SWALLOWED ME WITH DISGUSTYOUR FACE WRINKLED WHEN YOUTASTED MY STRONG PRIDEI HATE YOU RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL I HATE YOUYOU’RE A MONSTERYOUR THROAT MUSCLES FORCED MEDOWN TO YOUR STOMACHYOUR THROAT MUSCLES SQUEEZED MY HAPPINESSSQUEEZED MY DREAMSSQUEEZED MY NATIVE VOICEYOUR THROAT BECAME CLOGGED WITH MY SACRED SPIRIT YOU COUGHED AND YOU CHOKEDFOR YOU CANNOT WITH STAND MYSPIRITUAL SONGS AND DANCESI HATE YOU RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL I HATE YOUYOU’RE A MONSTERYOUR STOMACH UPSET EVERY TIME I WET MY BEDYOUR STOMACH RUMBLED WITH ANGEREVERY TIME I FELL ASLEEP IN CHURCHYour stomach growled at me every time I broke the school rulesYour stomach was full You burpedYou felt satisfied You rubbed your belly and you didn’t careYou didn’t care how you ate up my native CultureYou didn’t care if you were messyif you were piggyYou didn’t care as long as you ate up my IndiannessI hate you Residential School I hate youYou’re a monsterYour veins clotted with cruelty and tortureYour blood poisoned with loneliness and despairYour heart was cold it pumped fear into meI hate you Residential School I hate youYou’re a monsterYour intestines turned me into foul entrailsYour anal squeezed mesqueezed my confidencesqueezed my self respectYour anal squeezedthen you dumped meDumped me without parental skillswithout life skillsDumped me without any form of characterwithout individual talentswithout a hope for success
I hate you Residential School I hate youYou’re a monsterYou dumped me in the toilet thenYou flushed out my good naturemy personalitiesI hate you Residential School I hate youYou’re a monster………I hate hate hate youThirty three years later I rode my chevy pony to KamloopsFrom the highway I saw the monsterMy Gawd! The monster is still aliveI hesitated I wanted to drive onbut something told me to stopI parked in front of the Residential Schoolin front of the monsterThe monster saw me and it stared at meThe monster saw me and I stared backWe both never said anything for a long timeFinally with a lump in my throatI said, “Monster I forgive you.”The monster broke into tearsThe monster cried and cried His huge shoulders shookHe motioned for me to come forward He asked me to sit on his lappy stairs The monster spoke You know I didn’t like my Government Father I didn’t like my Catholic Church MotherI’m glad the Native People adopted me They took me as one of their own They fixed me up Repaired my mouth of double doors Washed my window eyes with cedar and fir boughs They cleansed me with sage and sweetgrass Now my good spirit lives The Native People let me stay on their land They could of burnt me you know instead they let me live so People can come here to school restore or learn about their culture The monster said, “I’m glad the Native People gave me another chanceI’m glad Dennis you gave me another chance The monster smiled I stood up I told the monster I must go Ahead of me is my life. My people are waiting for me I was at the door of my chevy ponyThe monster spoke, “Hey you forgot something I turned around I saw a ghost child running down the cement steps It ran towards me and it entered my body I looked over to the monster I was surprised I wasn’t looking at a monster anymoreI was looking at an old school In my heart I thought This is where I earned my diploma of survival I was looking at an old Residential School who became my elder of my memories I was looking at a tall building with four stories stories of hope stories of dreams stories of renewaland stories of tomorrow
That, again, is a poem called Monster, A Residential School Experience, by Dennis Saddleman. Again, I was asked by a the former chief of the Tk‘emlúps first nation, Manny Jules, to read that as a way to help the nation heal. When he read it to me, it was quite emotional and I hope I did that justice.
The government continues to move forward on this file, something that is very important, and it is time for action. As an opposition, we have asked for a clear action plan by July 1 on calls to action 71 through 76 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. All first nations communities across Canada need that healing. It is time we listen to them and follow their lead and have action.
View Jamie Schmale Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, last week the Conservatives sent the Prime Minister a letter seeking action for the 215 children found at the Kamloops residential school and for the many more who still need to be found. Families and residential school survivors want answers, and so far all they are getting from the Prime Minister is platitudes, rhetoric and abstentions.
Will the Prime Minister commit to developing a comprehensive plan to implement Truth and Reconciliation's calls to action 71 through 76 by July 1?
View Carolyn Bennett Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, as we know, all Canadians were heartbroken when we learned of the remains of the children at the former Kamloops residential school.
We are working with the community and our partners. I had a very important conversation with Kúkpi7 Casimir last evening, who is working to provide the resources and supports needed, as determined by the community.
We are reaching out now to indigenous communities across Canada regarding how to support them in finding their lost children, as outlined in those very important TRC calls to action, including how they can access the $27 million in funding made available on an urgent basis.
View Charlie Angus Profile
NDP (ON)
View Charlie Angus Profile
2021-06-08 15:09 [p.8113]
Mr. Speaker, I believe there have been consultations with other parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, in light of the horrific discovery at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, the House reiterate the call it made in the motion adopted on May 1, 2018, and (a) invite Pope Francis to participate in this journey with Canadians by responding to call to action 58 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report and issue a former papal apology for the role of the Canadian Catholic Church in the establishment, operations and abuses of the residential schools; (b) call on the Canadian Catholic Church to live up to its moral obligation and the spirit of the 2006 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and resume the best efforts to raise the full amount of the agreed-upon funds; and (c) call upon the Catholic entities that were involved in the running of the residential schools to make a consistent and sustained effort to turn over the relevant documents when called upon by survivors of residential schools, their families and scholars working to understand the full scope and horrors of the residential school system, in the interests of truth and reconciliation.
View Jamie Schmale Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, within hours of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report being released in December of 2015, the Prime Minister pledged to implement the calls to action. Six years later, the government’s own website, not updated since September of 2019, acknowledges a failure to get this done. Only a dozen of the 90-plus calls to action have been completed. When asked when they would be fulfilled, the minister would not offer a specific timeline.
Will the minister promise right here to deliver a comprehensive plan to address calls to action 71 through 76 by July 1?
View Carolyn Bennett Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, first, I want to remind the member that over 80% of the 76 calls to action under the sole or shared responsibility of the federal government are completed or well under way; the recent passage of Bill C-5, as an example, Bill C-8, Bill C-15. This will result in sustained and consistent action to advance Canada's shared journey of healing and reconciliation.
View Mumilaaq Qaqqaq Profile
NDP (NU)
View Mumilaaq Qaqqaq Profile
2021-06-07 14:46 [p.8021]
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, the head of Canada, likes to use buzzwords like “reconciliation” to look good on the world stage without actually fulfilling basic human rights on Canadian soil. The Government of Canada destroyed records on residential schools, erasing vital information. The Catholic church holds the remaining records on these institutions.
If indigenous lives are so important, as the Prime Minister likes to portray, why would he not do everything in his power instead of taking knees and making apologies? Why will the government not force the church to provide information that is rightfully ours?
View Carolyn Bennett Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with the member, except for the destruction of documents by the Canadian government, which were all handed over to the National Centre on Truth and Reconciliation.
The residential school survivors and those dealing with it need to hear the Pope apologize explicitly for the Catholic Church's role in this tragedy to unlock the healing and support closure. The Prime Minister formally requested an apology when he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican, and our government continues to call on the Pope to apologize and to release all relevant documents. The Pope's statement on Sunday does not go far enough. The—
View Jody Wilson-Raybould Profile
Ind. (BC)
Mr. Speaker, in 2020, the UN Secretary-General noted that the “approach to and handling of mass graves has too rarely been respectful or lawful”. Canada has no legal framework to address the Tk'emlúps site or any other sites that will come to light. The legal framework led to the deaths of these children. That legal framework, the Indian Act, remains in place.
Will the Prime Minister do what is needed and establish a legal framework for mass and unmarked graves that meets human rights norms, including ensuring all records are kept and released, sites protected and criminal investigations conducted so that families can heal and are appropriately compensated?
View Carolyn Bennett Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the opportunity for the clarification.
Kukpi7 Casimir has made it very clear this was not a mass grave, although it is heartbreaking that we learned of the possibility of all the remains of children at the former Kamloops residential school.
We are reaching out to indigenous communities to make sure that all other communities, with the support of the NCTR, will be able to find their lost children, and we will make sure that this is done in a proper and legal way.
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