Honourable senators, I begin by acknowledging we are on the unceded Algonquin and Anishinabek territory.

I have given a title to this speech: What makes me, me.

My story includes information about me being a Cree Metis — a story I very rarely have the opportunity to share in detail with anyone.

I am Cree Metis from the Treaty 4 territory and homeland of the Metis in Saskatchewan. I take pride in sharing the history of my family with you as we approach June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Metis.

Some 20 years ago, I listened to Chief Billy Diamond talking to a mainstream social in Ottawa. He noted that the term “Indian” came from Christopher Columbus mistakenly believing that he had found the shorter route to India. Chief Diamond quipped, “It’s a good thing they weren’t looking for Turkey.”

Honourable senators, the term “Metis” is adopted from French “métis” from a Latin word for mixed, to represent those who are descended from a person of mixed First Nation and Euro-American ancestry. Metis typically trace their ancestry through the marriage between a European man and a First Nations woman. The majority of first Europeans who came to this land were explorers, voyageurs and fur traders, many of whom settled down with First Nations women to start families. The earliest Metis began to appear almost 400 years ago.

For the record, the Constitutional definition of “Aboriginal” is First Nations, Inuit and Metis. We Metis thank Harry Daniels, my uncle, for Metis being included in that Constitutional definition. Through Jean Chrétien, he convinced Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau that Metis rightfully belonged in the Constitutional definition.

Being Metis is not just a consequence of colonialism and it is different from being First Nations or Inuit or European. The Metis evolved as a unique people, arising as a product of both First Nations and European cultures, creating a unique history of customs, culture, cuisine, dress, music, dance and communities reflective of and influenced by the best of both First Nations and European customs and cultures.

Metis origins have been endowed with the hope of opportunity for a better way of life that our European ancestors brought with them and the tenacity to thrive in unforgiving climates passed down from our First Nations ancestors. If I could identify a shared trait from these often seemingly different worlds, it is one of industriousness. It originates from the belief that we can move forward to build a future, irrespective of our situation.

The federal government initially recognized the Metis as an autonomous people, probably because they were considered useful translators, guides and skilled labour and had an understanding for trade. However, as the land the Metis inhabited became more valuable, the government devised many strategies to take that land away. We get a glimpse of the animosity that the government held towards the Metis during the Treaty 4 negotiations in 1874.

One of the lead representatives during negotiations, Chief Ota-Ka-Onan of the Saulteaux, chastised Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris for his treatment of the Metis representatives when he said to Morris:

Now when you have come here, you see sitting out there a mixture of Half-breeds, Crees, Saulteaux and Stonies, all are one, and you were slow in taking the hand of a Half-breed.

The reason for the government’s animosity was their own making. A year earlier in 1869, the government marched on the Red River Colony. That would lead to what many know as the Red River Rebellion, but the victors write history. The Metis, on the other hand, know this event as the Red River Resistance. It was here that Louis Riel, who made all attempts at peaceful negotiations to settle the conflict, would become a heroic figure to Metis and vilified by the government.

In 1885 the colony at Batoche in Saskatchewan was made up of some 500 Metis. Many had fled from Manitoba following the Red River Resistance. The government found that the Metis colony measured out their farm plots as long, narrow parcels that jutted out from the river to allow as many farmers as possible access to water. The government instead wanted long plots running parallel to the river. When the Metis asked to negotiate this dispute, the government refused and used military force against the Metis once again. That would spark the North-West Resistance and it was here that Louis Riel would surrender. The government managed to crush the community and any hopes and aspiration of Metis independence.

Honourable senators, the government further used other policies to shape how Metis would access their lands through issuing scrip land and scrip money. That approach allowed the government to open up Western Canada to purely European settlers on land the Metis had settled for generations. Metis families were forced to take scrip, which was a piece of paper to be redeemable for a parcel of land or a one-time payment of money. The result was the government prevented Metis from living communally and gave only the best land to European settlers. Worse, the scrip papers provided were often stolen or swindled away from the Metis.

The government succeeded in creating a landless, treaty less and disenfranchised Metis people. Their dependence created the Road Allowance People in the early 1900s as the Metis established communities by squatting on Crown Land, parkland and forests and were forced to take menial jobs from the farmers to whom the government had given their land.

A turning point of Metis struggle occurred in 2016 with the decision from Daniels v. Canada case where the Metis and non-status leader Harry Daniels, my Uncle Harry, successfully argued that the Metis were indeed Indians under section 91(24) of the 1867 Constitution.

The case did not provide Metis with access to status, but it did force the federal government to negotiate land claim settlements and provide access to resources for health programs, education and government services, along with the reparations for the devastation of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop.

That is just a brief glimpse or cursory overview of the 400-year history of the Metis. I will now turn to my own history and lineage and what makes me who I am.

Like many Canadians, my lineage stretches across many nations and many cultures. The main families of my story begin with Klein in Germany, McKay in Scotland and Bellegarde, from France.

On the Klein side, I can trace my lineage back to my twelfth great-grandfather, born in 1460 in Germany. Note that at this time the spelling was Klein. Seven generations down the line, my fifth great-grandfather, Johan Philip Klein, was born in Germany in 1864 and died in Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in 1739. Ergo, he was the first one to come over to North America. His German-born son, Johan Adam Klein, my fourth great-grandfather, made his way to Quebec, Canada and started a family there. This makes me a seventh-generation European Canadian.

With Johan’s son, my third great-grandfather, Michel, Sr. Klyne, the spelling of the last name was changed to Klyne. This was close to 240 years ago and I have not yet discovered why the change, but I suspect his mother, Marie Genevieve Bisson, had something to do with it.

On the McKay side, my mother’s patrilineal side, I trace that back to my sixth great-grandfather in 1700 Scotland. My fifth great-grandfather, John McNab McKay, and his wife Elspeth Kennedy, were the first to come to Canada from Scotland and they brought their Scotland-born son, John Richard McKay, Sr., with them.

On the Bellegarde side, my mother’s matrilineal side, I trace that back to my eighth great-grandfather in 1620 France. My seventh great-grandfather, Christophe Gerbault, Sieur de Bellegarde, and his wife, Marguerite Lemaitre, were the first to come to Canada and all of their children were born in Quebec.

A number of Metis mothers are generations strong across my lineage, as are First Nations mothers, coming into both my patrilineal side and my matrilineal side beginning over 250 years ago. My fifth great-grandmother, Titameg Whitefish Cree, was born in 1755, a Swampy Cree woman. Others include my fifth great-grandmother, Mme. LaFrance, native woman born 1770, my fourth great-grandmother, Josephette, Cree woman, born in 1760 and my great-grandmother, Marie Anne Bellegarde, lovingly referred to as Kookum from Little Black Bear First Nation, born in 1862, 157 years ago.

Not that long ago, before my grandmother passed away, she would visit her Treaty Status sisters on their home reserve, which was once considered her reserve as well.

On September 10, 1939, Canada entered the Second World War, declaring war on Germany. Less than four months later, my father, Lawrence Klyne, enlisted in active forces on January 2, 1940, as a private in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. The motto of the corps was Nil Sine Labore, Latin for “Nothing Without Work.” He could have been the poster boy for this motto.

On May 23, 1946, he discharged as a corporal in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, Regimental Number L.7453. He was in the active force of the Canadian Army for six years, five years of which were overseas during World War II.

He was unable to find permanent employment in civilian life after his discharge, so he decided to re-enlist sixteen months after discharging from the Canadian Army and 11 months after the birth of my sister, Julie Ann Klyne, who passed away February 5, 2015, at age 67.

My father built our home in Regina after my sister was born on March 1, 1947. I recall him telling me he paid $10 for the lot and he told me a story about digging the hole for the basement. He said all it took was him and my Uncle Wilf, a team of horses, a plow and two bottles of wine. The army trained him to be an excellent mechanic and multi-disciplined tradesman and that very home still stands true today, 70 years later.

He made it known he was interested in serving in Fort Churchill in view of the possibility of promotion to sergeant. He did make sergeant.

On November 26, 1953, almost six years after re-enlisting, he embarked for Korea, arriving for the Korean War on December 13, 1953. He returned to Saskatchewan on January 25, 1955, and was a supervisor and instructor for approximately 10 years until he discharged from the Canadian Army on March 10, 1966. He made a 25-year career of the army and served in active forces during the Second World War and in the regular forces that included the Korean War. During his term, he was also in the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers. He retired as Sergeant Lawrence Klyne, SL.7453.

Over his military career, his medical set includes: the 1939-1945 star; the Italy Star; the France and Germany Star; the Defence Medal; the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with a silver clasp; the War Medal, 1939-1945; United Nations Service Medal (Korea); Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953) and Canadian Forces’ Decoration.

In preparing this speech, I discovered that he was due two additional medals, which I will apply for after the Forty-second Parliament, and those two medals are the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea and the Canadian Korea Medal.

To me, my father was Clark Gable, John Wayne and G.I. Joe all rolled up in one. He was firm, fair and decisive. He never raised a hand to me and never used foul language around me. A common cuss word to be heard from him would have been something like, “blast.” This was a guy who commanded authority just by looking at you.

My mom and dad met after he came home from World War II. When he was travelling home from Europe with his army buddy, Alec Daniels, he told him that when he got back to Canada he wanted to find a beautiful bride, build a home and settle down. Alec introduced him to his cousin, Alice Vera McKay, and they married shortly after at granny and grandpa’s home. My great-grandmother, Kookom, was there too.

My mother was raised in Regina Beach, Saskatchewan, a Metis community, as Dr. Lloyd Barber would refer to it, and was a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. She was a loving mother who was full of life, driven with fortitude and perseverance, balanced with good humour and quick wit, to add to being a fabulous cook, talented seamstress and excellent homemaker and being very creative and artistic with everything she did.

She came from a family very much of Metis origin. My great-grandfather, William Henry McKay, took scrip land and gave up any rights to land or treaty and was a pioneer who settled in Regina Beach at what became known as McKay Crossing. My great-grandmother, Marie Anne Bellegarde, left Little Black Bear First Nation to marry my great-grandfather. In doing so, she gave up treaty status and, hence, treaty rights. My grandfather, Edward McKay, was born under a wagon in McKay Crossing in 1900.

I want to pay homage to my wife, Charlene, who is the mother of my youngest son, Mack Klyne, and also homage to my first-born son, Benjamin Mark Tingley, who was raised by his absolutely wonderful adoptive parents, Bill and Lily Tingley.

Charlene is a great partner in many ways. She is a best friend and a great person to share my life with, not to mention a great mother and a brilliant business person who successfully ran our award-winning business.

My eldest son, Ben, lends to my belief of nature and nurture. Not only does he look like me, but despite he and I being apart for the first 19 years of his life, he sounds like me, he talks like me and he has the same mannerisms as me. Ben is married and I have two gorgeous grandchildren, Jack and Portia. Ben had an excellent upbringing and is well-educated with an executive MBA and owns a successful advising firm.

My young son, Mackenzie Gordon Lawrence Klyne, is undoubtedly headed for good things in education, family and life. His creativity and approach to life and all it has to offer is inspiring. Like his older brother, he is a gentleman.

Honourable senators, I thank you for your attention, and as a salute to the Canadians out there watching this at home, I hope my story has provided something that speaks to the uniqueness of our great nation and its Metis people.

Thank you.