Hon. Nancy J. Hartling: Honourable senators, I am proud to share a musical initiative from my home community in Greater Moncton, New Brunswick, called “The Gathering Chant.” It honours National Indigenous History Month in Canada, as well as the Mi’kmaq people who have lived in New Brunswick and the Atlantic region since time immemorial.

I learned about “The Gathering Chant” from a friend of mine, singer-songwriter Michel Goguen, who performs under the name Open Strum. Michel supports various causes by writing and performing music that he gives freely to charities, who then distribute the songs to donors and volunteers. This time, he teamed up with Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, a non-profit organization based in Nova Scotia that unites traditional Mi’kmaq knowledge with science and applies this lens to conservation and environmental stewardship initiatives. The funds raised for the institute will go toward supporting their summer youth program called Nikani Awtiken.

“The Gathering Chant” is actually a traditional song in Mi’kmaq culture about getting together as a community. In the spirit of the song, Michel teamed up with Hubert Francis from the Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick, who is a well‑known singer-song writer. In 2019, Hubert received the prestigious East Coast Music Awards’ lifetime achievement award.

In the spirit of community, Michel and Hubert gathered a truly international choir of 73 people from 22 different countries across the world to perform for the recording. Colleagues, I was delighted to be one of those 73 singers who contributed to “The Gathering Chant.” We sang in the Mi’kmaq language, which was a new challenge for most of us.

We all learned so much, and so, too, will the youth who participate in the Nikani Awtiken program. This annual eight-day summer camp is an opportunity for Mi’kmaq youth to learn about their relationship with and responsibility toward the natural world and to develop skills based on traditional Mi’kmaq knowledge that will foster a closer relationship with their culture and the land. They will grow into a generation of Mi’kmaq youth empowered with leadership and environmental stewardship skills deeply informed by Indigenous knowledge.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Indigenous History Month than through the sharing of music, culture and language. “The Gathering Chant” brought so many people together, and I hope that it will inspire those who listen to it. It was released on June 21, on National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. Thanks to those who made it possible, especially Michel and Hubert. Wela’lioq.