Honourable senators, Mi’kmaw History Month commenced on October 1, Treaty Day, recognizing the Mi’kmaq Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in 1752. Mi’kma’ki, the Mi’kmaq homeland, includes present-day Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, central and eastern New Brunswick, the Gaspé Peninsula and Newfoundland. There are 30 Mi’kmaq nations — 29 in Canada and 1 in Maine.

Today, I would like to shine a light on four Mi’kmaw history makers: four Mi’kmaw senators.

In 2016, the Honourable Dan Christmas made history as the first Mi’kmaw senator appointed to the Senate. He had already made history as a key player in the leadership team responsible for the well-known success of Membertou First Nation and as director of the Union of Nova Scotia Indians. Here at the Senate, Dan Christmas made history as Chair of the Indigenous Peoples Committee when we passed Bill C-15, which led to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. He described it as his Mount Everest in life.

Senator Brian Francis made history in 2018 when he was appointed the first Mi’kmaw to represent Epekwitk, or Prince Edward Island, in the Senate of Canada. He had served as Chief and Band Administrator of Abegweit First Nation for 11 years, as an executive board member of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat and as a board member of Ulnooweg, a development group. He capably serves as the Chair of the Senate Indigenous Peoples Committee today and sponsored the historic Bill C-5, regarding the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Mi’kmaw lawyers and leaders Senators Paul Prosper and Judy White were both appointed to the Senate in July 2023.

The first Indigenous senator from Newfoundland and Labrador, Judy White, from Flat Bay, had already made big waves as the first Indigenous woman to chair the province’s human rights commission, as Newfoundland’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation and as Director General of Indigenous Services Canada. Senator White says she has 15 years to make her mark here as an Indigenous woman pushing reconciliation from the inside.

A well-respected leader hailing from my neck of the woods, Senator Paul Prosper served as Regional Chief for the Assembly of First Nations representing the chiefs of Nova Scotia, as Chief of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation and on many boards and committees. Senator Prosper continues his significant contributions with his bold and historic Reconcili-ACTION initiative.

Honourable colleagues, history is humankind’s memory. Please join me in celebrating Senators Prosper, White, Francis and Christmas, who are living chapters in the history books and memory of Mi’kma’ki, the Senate and Canada.

Wela’lioq.