Senator MacDonald: Senator Gold, the first line of that third stanza reads, “Take up our quarrel with the foe . . . .”

Honourable senators, I never thought I’d see the day when the foe would be the Government of Canada. Since you represent the government in this place, can you please tell this chamber if you support this directive of the government, and tell Canadians if you support this directive of the government?

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: Senator Gold, next month Canadians and veterans will gather on Remembrance Day to honour those who served in war, with particular emphasis on those who made the eternal sacrifice in the defence of freedom for this country. I’m always reminded of John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields.” There are three stanzas in that poem, and the third and most evocative stanza has six lines. The last five lines of stanza three are as follows:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

The Government of Canada that you represent has declared these prayers to be forbidden at Remembrance Day ceremonies. But in the Senate, we start every day with prayers. Why are prayers okay for living senators but not okay for our war dead?

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: That was a great speech; I really enjoyed it. I want to make a clarification for the chamber. You talk about how identity can be dismissed. You mentioned both the French and the English, but you probably should have said the French and the British — because although the English are British, the British aren’t necessarily English. The British are a multicultural people. I know this because most of my ancestors are British, but very few of them are English.

As you talk about the eradication of culture and language, Cape Breton is filled with the eradication of both. My grandparents were all fluent Gaelic speakers. It is the third most common European language in this country. In fact, it was the third most common language in the country at the time of Confederation. In Cape Breton, my father and all of my grandparents had their language suppressed.

One of the most remarkable things about it is the following: In school, usually the person doing the suppression spoke the language themselves, so it was a strange dichotomy. I just wanted to put that on the record.

Do you agree?

Senator Kutcher: Thank you for that question, Senator MacDonald.

You very poignantly pointed out to us how important this is, and I thank you for doing that.

Senator Cordy and I had the privilege of being at the opening of the Celtic Colours International Festival just last week. It is amazing and joyous to see the revival of the Gaelic culture, and the incredible richness that culture brings to all of us.

It’s with great disappointment that we look at what we lost — because just think of what we could be, had we not lost it. Now we have to get it back.

Thank you.

[Translation]