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House Hansard - 134

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 24, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 134 - Nov/24/22
Ms. Sylvie Bérubé (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, BQ)
  • Nov/24/22 3:49:29 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill S-4 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I have to say that Bill S‑4 needs improvement. What does my colleague think about the issue of connectivity in this case? We know it is a problem. My colleague mentioned it earlier, and he also talked about the existence and use of the “Liberalist”. There are currently judicial vacancies. I would like to hear some solutions from my colleague.
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Context: House Hansard - 134 - Nov/24/22
Ms. Sylvie Bérubé (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, BQ)
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise this evening to speak to Bill S‑219, an act respecting a national ribbon skirt day. This bill had already been introduced in the last Parliament by the same sponsor, a non-affiliated senator from Manitoba, Senator Mary Jane McCallum. It was Bill S‑227 at the time. As we know, it died on the Order Paper when the 2021 election was called. Passing this bill would create a national ribbon skirt day to be held every year on January 4, although it would not be a statutory holiday. The Bloc Québécois is in favour of Bill S‑219, given that it aligns with our party's general position. We are committed to being an ally of first nations, particularly by favouring nation-to-nation dialogue. It also aligns with the process of reconciliation with indigenous peoples. Moreover, it respects Quebec's areas of jurisdiction. By way of background, I would like to explain that a ribbon skirt is a deeply symbolic garment, a bit like the orange shirt that symbolizes recognition of residential school survivors. Ribbon skirts are long skirts decorated with coloured ribbons on the lower portion. Different nations have their own colours and designs, but one thing they all have in common is that they speak to an unshakable pride. Much like the Scottish red tartan kilt, each nation has its own pattern. The ribbon skirt is a centuries-old spiritual symbol of womanhood, identity, adaptation and survival. It is a way for women to honour themselves and their culture. It represents a direct connection to Mother Earth and its sacred medicines. Designating this day would also pay special tribute to indigenous women as life-givers entrusted with traditional knowledge to care for their families, their communities and the environment. Celebrating this symbol would be a way to recognize the fact that indigenous culture, tradition and ceremony, including indigenous ties to language and the land, are critical to the vitality and well-being of Canada's first peoples. During the debate on Bill S‑219 in the Senate, the bill's sponsor was generous enough to share some statements her office had received. I believe it is important that these words be heard here in the House of Commons as well. That is why I am going to read them. The first statement is from a 10-year-old indigenous girl from Saskatchewan. She says the following: My name is Isabella Susanne Kulak and I would like to start off by telling you what the ribbon skirt means to me. The ribbon skirt represents strength, resiliency, cultural identity and womanhood. When I wear my ribbon skirt I feel confident and proud to be a young indigenous girl. When I was 8 years old I was gifted my very own ribbon skirt from my auntie Farrah Sanderson. I wore it with pride and honor to my traditional ceremonies and pow wow's. On December 18th 2020 it was formal day at Kamsack Comprehensive Institute where I attend school, so I chose to wear my ribbon skirt just like my older sister Gerri. When I got to school a teacher assistant commented on it and said it didn't even match my skirt and maybe next formal day I should wear something else like another girl was wearing and pointed at her. Those words made her feel pressured to be someone she was not. She eventually took off her skirt as she felt shamed. She added: Today I no longer feel shamed and I feel proud and powerful enough to move mountains because I know that people from around the world are standing with me. I am very grateful to be Canadian, to be Indian and to represent my people by wearing my ribbon skirt proudly! Thank you to Senator McCallum and to all the people who supported me from around the world, from Canada and from all the First Nations across the nations of the earth. The chief of the Cote First Nation, the home of Isabella Kulak, also shared a statement with the senator's office. He said, and I quote: On behalf of Cote First Nation, we are honored to have January 4th as National Ribbon Skirt Day across our great Nation. Bella Kulak has demonstrated the importance of sharing our culture to other nations. Our First Nations, Metis, Inuit women are a symbol of life givers and their resilience in looking after the home fires is our strength to move forward. We thank Senator McCallum for bringing forward such a recognition and encourage all Parliamentarians to offer their support for this bill in the year of Truth and Reconciliation. Meegwetch from the Saulteaux First Nations of Treaty 4 Territory. These testimonies confirm that Bill S‑219 deals with an initiative that is very important to many indigenous peoples and communities. This is what the sponsor of the bill had to say: [T]his bill aims to provide social justice for Bella and other young Indigenous youth who must struggle against racism, colonialism and gender violence in their day-to-day lives. By keeping this request for a national day of recognition situated within a framework generated from and led by the Cote reserve, it ensures that the families' and communities' tradition and intergenerational knowledge is secure while they're navigating modern Indigenous struggles. This also helps to resist the colonial images of Indigenous women, girls and transgender peoples. The acts of resistance by women — including mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters and friends — against ongoing violence and colonialism is very important, as their resistive acts are models for young Indigenous girls. They are acts against cultural genocide. Both mother and daughter are no longer willing to leave their spirits at the door and are ready to take that challenge to a different level that is bringing ceremony to everyday living, not only in their home but taking it to the outside world. The Bloc Québécois has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to being an ally to the first nations. That is why it is voting in favour of this bill in principle, since it responds to article 15.1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and it partially responds to call for justice 15.2 of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. When I travel from town to town in my vast riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, I often see posters with photos of missing girls. That also happens in Val‑d'Or. It is unbelievable. In Lac‑Simon, there are the Kitcisakik, Mistissini, Waswanipi and Oujé‑Bougoumou communities. We have to protect these young girls. We also see photos of these missing girls on social media, and it is unfathomable. For the families who are looking for their daughters, it is hard to imagine that this is still happening in this day and age, especially when it comes to indigenous women and girls. There are also two paragraphs that line up with what the Bloc stands for. Our party advocates for reconciliation, which is defined as the establishment of a renewed relationship with indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. Furthermore, Bill S‑219 refers to call for justice 2.1 of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which calls “upon all governments to acknowledge, recognize, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their cultures and languages as inherent rights, and constitutionally protected as such under section 35 of the Constitution [Act, 1982]”. By supporting the creation of national ribbon skirt day, the Bloc Québécois is reasserting its position as an ally of first nations, because this day will highlight a distinctive element of indigenous culture in Canada and stimulate public dialogue about national history.
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