SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 218

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 21, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 218 - Jun/21/23
Mr. Marc Dalton (Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, CPC)
  • Jun/21/23 2:13:15 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, tansi. Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to celebrate and honour the cultures and contributions of more than 1,800,000 first nations, Métis and Inuit people. Indigenous peoples have rich and diverse traditions, music, art and a history that predates European arrival by thousands of years. The indigenous peoples of Canada were integral to the development and overall prosperity of this nation. Commerce, such as the fur trade, depended upon the collaboration of indigenous peoples. A new people, the Métis, now over 600,000 strong, was born in the west, the offspring of indigenous women and fur traders. I am proud to be one of them. There remains pain as a result of the Indian residential schools and government policies, but there is also much hope. Ours is a growing population and a young population that wants to participate and benefit from resource development, business and tourism. I specifically acknowledge the Katzie and Kwantlen first nations, in the area where I live in British Columbia. Meegwetch, Huy ch q'u, all my relations.
182 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border