Moved second reading of Bill S-225, An Act to establish National Thanadelthur Day.

She said: Thank you. And I want to thank the senators who are here for supporting me.

Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the second reading of Bill S-225, An Act to establish National Thanadelthur Day. As many colleagues will remember, this was formerly Bill S-274, which I had introduced in the Senate in September 2023 and which passed its second reading vote unanimously in November 2024.

There were two committee meetings scheduled for the end of January 2025, but prorogation precluded those meetings from taking place as planned. I am introducing it today in the hopes we can return it swiftly to committee so it can receive its study, as previously planned.

Colleagues, I want to once again share with you my experience with oral history among the Denesuline in Brochet and Lac Brochet. The Dene signed their Treaty 10 agreement in 1906, and the Cree moved in in the early 1920s. My father was one of the Cree that moved there.

They lived together in Brochet, Manitoba, where they intermarried and raised families. But the Cree committed violence towards the Dene. Due to the increasing violence, the Dene decided to move from their traditional lands in Brochet to Lac Brochet in 1974. Young children who were Dene and Cree from Brochet were sent to Guy Hill Residential School where, as students, we did indeed become family.

Because we were in residential school, many of us didn’t see the violence that was happening at home. We would go home and hear about it.

With this closeness, I was privileged to hear the story of Thanadelthur 20 years ago from Ms. Lucy Antsanen, a Dene citizen of Brochet and Lac Brochet, who experienced intergenerational residential school trauma. Historically, in their years of oral history, the young Dene have heard, and continue to hear, about this remarkable young woman named Thanadelthur through stories passed down from their grandparents and parents.

At the outset, colleagues, I want to inform you that the word “Chipewyan” is only used as a historical reference; it is a derogatory term, whereas the correct is term “Denesuline,” which means “original peoples.”

Honourable senators, over 20 years ago, Ms. Antsanen, a young Dene woman with her master’s in education and working as a teacher in Lac Brochet, introduced the story of Thanadelthur into the classroom. From that day on, the students wore red on February 5 to commemorate the memory of this young peacemaker, since that was the day on which Thanadelthur journeyed into the spirit world. I wear red today, and every day, for my sisters. Today I also wear the moccasins given to me in 1979 by Dene Elder St. Pierre.

This story takes place before Canada was reinvented as a nation and before Manitoba became a province. There were no borders, only territorial boundaries of each of the Indigenous nations. This story occurs at the height of the fur trade. Both the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company were trading in the vicinity of York Factory.

Thanadelthur was born in the latter part of the 1600s. Prior to written history, and over the ages, the Dene people counted the number of winters from the birth of their children to keep account of age. The reason for bringing this up is because there are varying ages assigned to Thanadelthur in different historical forums, including the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives and accounts told by individual historians. Regardless, she was a young girl in her early to mid teens when she arrived at the Hudson’s Bay fort.

Honourable senators, we are hard-pressed in modern times to find the actual names of Indigenous women in history. History has normalized reducing these women, referencing them as “Indian” or “Aboriginal” women, thereby contributing to the erasure of our peoples and history. In our community of Lac Brochet, when the French priest who had lived among us for over 50 years wrote his book about our lives in our lands, he referred to the people simply as an “Indian.” He never gave their names even though he lived with them, not even acknowledging our humanity.

So, at a time when Indigenous women rarely made it into history books, we have this remarkable Dene girl whose name, Thanadelthur, is etched into history books for eternity. As such, this information exists as oral history, yes, but it transcends that medium, as it is also archived and housed in history books, as well as through teaching tools used in schools. Author Rick Book’s Blackships/Thanadelthur, which features the life and contributions of this young woman, is being used as a teaching aid in the Northwest Territories.

Colleagues, during Thanadelthur’s life, the Dene and Cree were warring ancient enemies. Dene Elders from different Dene communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan tell of the warring between the two nations. When the Cree came upon a Dene encampment, they killed the majority of the Dene but captured the young girls, as Dene girls were known to be hard workers. Conversely, when the Dene came upon a Cree encampment, they did not take any prisoners.

In 1712-13, Thanadelthur’s family was hunting caribou in the area near Arviat, Nunavut, where they were attacked in their encampment and slaughtered by the Cree. Thanadelthur was taken into captivity. The Cree Elders called her “Akwakan Iskwew,” which means “slave woman.” The Dene Elders say that she survived because she was stunningly beautiful and very skillful.

Thanadelthur was enslaved for over a year, and late in 1714 she and another young woman escaped their Cree captors and headed north to find their people. Without warm food and clothing, they were soon in dire straits. The girls survived on edible plants and berries and small game they snared along the way. It is believed they used their long hair to make snares. During this journey, Thanadelthur’s young companion tragically passed away, forcing Thanadelthur to then abandon her route and make her way to the fort, hoping to encounter the English. Thanadelthur was aware of the fort but had never been there.

When she made it to the fort, she met William Stuart, who was in charge of the fort. He had been working with another Dene woman, and he wanted a peace treaty with the Dene and the Cree so that they could hunt for furs. It was to enhance their economic development.

When they met with the Cree, Thanadelthur asked that the Cree come and meet with the Dene people to make the peace treaty, and they went on that expedition. When they were travelling in the cold winter, Thanadelthur made their winter clothes from animal skins and made snowshoes from sticks and animal sinew.

More than once, Thanadelthur saved the expedition from starvation. Hunger was kept at bay by drinking tea and eating soup made only from snow blackberries and animal hides. In the end, the party was reduced to Thanadelthur and Stuart, along with the Cree leader and about 10 of his people. Near their destination, they came across the bodies of nine Dene, apparently killed by the Cree. Afraid they might be blamed for their deaths, Stuart and the Cree refused to go any farther. Thanadelthur asked the party to make camp and wait for 10 days while she went to find her people and bring them back to negotiate terms of peace.

She struck out alone over the Barrens, and within a few days, came upon several hundred Dene. Having been attacked earlier by the Cree, it took much talking for Thanadelthur to convince her people to accompany her to the Cree camp. In the end, more than 100 agreed, and in a true epic fashion, she arrived at the Cree camp on the tenth day.

Then the peace negotiations began. Thanadelthur led the talks, scolding the parties into making peace. Finally, heading a delegation of 10 Dene, including her brother, she led them back to York Fort in May 1716. At the post, she quickly became a chief adviser to Governor James Knight, who sought her thoughts on a variety of plans. He found her to be one of the most remarkable people he had ever encountered.

In early 1717, Thanadelthur fell ill. Realizing she was dying, she spent hours teaching one of the young Hudson’s Bay Company workers to speak Dene so that he could take her place. She died on February 5, 1717, at the age of 16.

In the book Muskekowuck Athinuwick: Original People of the Great Swampy Land, author Victor P. Lytwyn gives more detail about this time:

When the HBC re-settled York Factory in 1714, it was anxious to facilitate a peace between the Lowland Cree and the Dene. The company had economic motivations for encouraging such a peace initiative; it planned to establish a trading post at the mouth of the Churchill River to collect furs from the Dene. There were also rumours of precious metals in the Dene territory, and the company wanted to develop a friendly relationship to exploit these mineral resources. The motivation for peace on the part of the Lowland Cree is more difficult to ascertain. There were no obvious economic advantages to be gained by making peace with their traditional enemies. However, the peace initiative does make sense if it is viewed from the perspective of the alliance between the Lowland Cree and the HBC. As allies of the company, the Lowland Cree may have participated in peacemaking with the Dene in order to solidify their relationship with the English traders. A careful examination of the peace mission in 1715-16 clarifies the role of the Lowland Cree in this initiative. This peace mission has been previously analysed by scholars who have been interested in the role of the HBC or the Dene woman who acted as interpreter.

James Knight, through feasts and gifts, persuaded the leader of the Lowland Cree to undertake the peace mission. The Cree leader was followed by 17 men and their families, numbering about 150 people in total. Accompanying this group was William Stuart and Thanadelthur, who had been captured by the Lowland Cree.

They left York Factory on June 27, 1715, and headed north toward the Churchill River. Nothing was heard of the peacemakers until April 13, 1716, when three Lowland Cree arrived at York Factory with news that the party had suffered from a shortage of food and forced to break into four or five smaller groups. According to their report, the Lowland Cree leader had taken four men, along with Stuart and Thanadelthur, in the direction of the Dene winter hunting grounds. Another group of eight Lowland Cree men also continued along a different route toward Dene winter hunting grounds. These men in the party of eight met a group of Dene and killed nine people in self-defence.

On May 7, 1716, the Lowland Cree leader returned to York Factory with Stuart, Thanadelthur and four Dene men. The latter had joined the Cree leader as evidence of the peace that had been made between the two groups of Indians. According to Stuart’s report, their party came across the bodies of the Dene who had been slain by the other Lowland Cree. Thanadelthur agreed to go out and bring her people to the camp in order to explain the situation and reach a peace. Within ten days, Thanadelthur returned with 400 Dene, including 160 men. Using Thanadelthur as an interpreter, the Lowland Cree leader explained that they had come in peace and offered his pipe to smoke in friendship. The Dene leaders accepted and after two days of meetings and gift exchanges, they parted company in peace. The Lowland Cree leader took four Dene boys who were “adopted” as a sign of the peace. One of these boys remained with the leader and he was thereafter treated as his own son.

Honourable senators, as I mentioned near the outset of my speech, in present day, teaching guides are used in the classroom to highlight Thanadelthur’s experiences for teaching and covering sensitive subjects and issues.

On August 13, 2017, a 300-year commemoration took place in Churchill, Manitoba. Many of the Dene and Cree people congregated in Churchill to honour and commemorate Thanadelthur.

Furthermore, for her courage, her peacemaking abilities and her contribution to Manitoba and Canadian history, Thanadelthur was commemorated in 2000 as a person of national historical significance and in 2002 as an historical role model for the youth.

Additionally, in 2024, the main-belt asteroid 88786 Thanadelthur was named in her honour.

In August 2022, I was invited to Churchill by Ms. Lucy Antsanen and representatives from the Dene Nation in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to witness the renaming of Hudson Square to Thanadelthur Square. At that time, I delivered my second apology speech to the Dene for the pain that was inflicted upon them.

Treaty 10 was signed by the Dene in Brochet, Manitoba, and as I said, the Cree started to move in. The relationship between Cree and Dene in Brochet was violent in many ways for many years, but there was intermarriage between the two, and these families have lasted over our lifetime. My aunt and other relatives are Dene.

The violence culminated through the act of the Dene moving from their traditional lands, losing the wisdom and historical connection that resides in that place for them from when they moved to Lac Brochet in 1974. They made that extremely difficult decision and moved to a place where there was no electricity. Through sheer determination, they shaped a place for themselves.

In 2009, at the 100-year celebration of the treaty, I gave my first apology speech to the Dene because it was the right thing to do. I remain close friends with and an ally to my Dene brothers, sisters, grandmothers and grandfathers. My mom and dad were close to the Dene, and my dad visited the Dene in Lac Brochet. He helped them through hard times and celebrated with them during good times, because his trapline was near Lac Brochet.

I have been told stories of my parents from the Dene, and I would not have known this side of my father if not for the Dene sharing these stories with me.

Throughout these years, as Cree and Dene, we have continued to gather and have conversations, not only about our troubled shared history but also what connects us.

I have always felt like an intruder in another’s territory, because we were in historical Dene territory. In 2005, at our yearly gathering in Brochet, after Elder Joe Hyslop said it was his land and his territory, I spoke and informed the people that it was indeed his land and his territory, but it was also mine. I was born and raised there, and it was the land I was connected to from birth. I knew then — as I always have — that we needed to keep looking for peace. They are my family.

You see, we were already making our way toward reconciliation, even before the word became popular. We have been actively working toward it from the time of Thanadelthur.

I want to share a bit of that apology speech I delivered:

Thank you to the Dene for inviting and welcoming me to their home territory.

I would like to start with a moment of reflection on the mistreatment of the Dene throughout history and in this instance by the Cree. I want to say how sorry I am for the fear, the pain, the suffering and the indignities suffered while in close contact with the Crees.

I know there is nothing I can say today that can take away the pain and hurt you and your ancestors have suffered individually and collectively. But I am extending my hand out to you in the spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood in the hopes of helping to resolve our past and begin a new beginning — one that Thanadelthur strived for and worked on relentlessly.

“I remember . . .” coming home from residential schools and hearing:

. . . the drumming and the hand-games that the Dene played and these cultural events remain a cherished part of my memory. When the evenings were calm you could hear the sound of the drums throughout the whole village. In times of great stress in my life, I sought the sound of drums because it reminded me of my home and kinship in Brochet. The drums continue to remain very powerful healers for me today. In times of great stress in my life, I have sought the advice and comfort of both my Cree and Dene friends and family. The Dene will always be a strong anchor in my life and I hope to continue to walk with you in my journey in life.

I remember hearing stories of the trauma that was inflicted upon our Dene brothers and sisters and how they felt they had to move from Brochet to make the lives of their children safer. Their decision to move was based on great courage, courage to leave their home territory and to make a new life. What we cannot forget now is their stories of hurt and trauma that went with the displacement and that the Dene continue to feel [today] as a consequence of the brutal treatment of the Crees, that we face the cold uncomfortable truth anywhere violence and trauma occurs including Churchill — we need to face it, deal with it and let’s start with the historical story of Thanadelthur and, like her, champion justice.

I must also remember the existence of intergenerational trauma. These types of historical injustices, whether in Lac Brochet, Tadoule or Churchill still continue to exert their impact today, their impact on the continuing existence and vitality of their communities, their laws and customs, their language, their land ownership, and their sovereignty.

I do not know the extent of the horrors that some of the families and individuals went through, not only in Brochet, but in Churchill. In her book Night Spirits Ila Bussidor was articulate about many of the harms that occurred and that continue to occur today.

I understand that the Inuit, the Metis, the First Nations and the non-Indigenous Peoples inflicted trauma on the Dene in Churchill. How do we start the conversation to include the federal government who removed the Dene from their nomadic lifestyle and lands and forcefully placed them in Churchill without any resources, including housing? How does the government acknowledge the harm that these removal policies inflicted on the Dene?

Identifying the impact on communities as well as individuals is a powerful way to recognize the foundation of First Nations differences. As you are aware, Thanadelthur, a skilled interpreter and negotiator, played a crucial diplomatic role that led to peace between her people, the Dene, and their traditional enemies, the Cree.

On behalf of the Cree, I acknowledge the hurt that was inflicted on our brothers and sisters, the Dene. The Cree and Dene have their own unique cultures and in Brochet there was a mixing of the two because we lived and loved together. We have families together. The Creator put us together for a reason and we must honour the unity of the two tribes for that reason. For the sake of our children we need to find each other again.

My hope is that this acknowledgement and apology leads to a process of healing, a recognition and an acknowledgement of the Dene’s human worth and dignity. How do we start to end the cycle of resentment, of hurt?

I am not expecting forgiveness and as an individual I promise not to repeat any of the trauma you have undergone. I offer my apology in the spirit of healing between the Cree and Dene Nations. It is important that we do not stay where we are. I acknowledge that the Dene, as sovereign nations, have the power to reject this statement/apology.

I understand that to allow space for a response is important and that the response might not be immediate, and when it comes, may not be positive. The point is to acknowledge and recognize that injustice did happen. For that I am truly sorry.

Honourable senators, in July 2023, I went to Brochet to celebrate Treaty 10 celebrations along with the Treaty 10 chiefs from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We revisited and truly celebrated our Dene-Cree kinship. The Crees hosted the Dene in their homes, cooked all the traditional foods, played hand games and challenged each other in various competitions. There was dancing, singing, drumming and feasting. It was the best and most collegial gathering that we have ever had.

These Treaty 10 celebrations will continue to occur for seven more years because we’re now going to go into Saskatchewan. They will serve to revive a modern peace treaty between the Cree and Dene today, and we have started that.

This is in alignment with the understanding that apologies are always followed by concrete actions. One female Dene chief from Saskatchewan said to me, “I never thought I would ever hear those words ’I’m sorry.’” We ended the celebrations with drumming and a round dance of the Cree and Dene.

Colleagues, as I am nearing the end of my remarks, I want to read a quote from Chief Simon Denechezhe, from the Lac Brochet Dene Nation.

As a strong ally, the Cree councillor Billy Linklater, a proxy for the chief from the Barren Lands First Nation, was the seconder. There was a resolution, which called on the federal government to adopt legislation recognizing February 5 as Thanadelthur Day, and it was unanimously adopted by the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Chiefs with the full support of the Keewatin Tribal Council and their Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot. In speaking to this resolution, Chief Denechezhe said:

This is oral history that has been passed on, generation to generation. It happen[ed] in the early 1700s. I heard it orally, too, from my parents and Elders. This is not only recognition, but it[’s] also for the path to truth and reconciliation, and as Nations, we must learn to respect and acknowledge each other. And this is the form of working collectively together with all nations. Truth and Reconciliation; we are on the path now. This needs to be clearly understood and that we need to work Nation to Nation, in th[ese] modern times. I [have] heard it many times that we need to help each other. It seems like we are always at . . . odds, but us around the table, that’s our voice, voices of our Nations, and we need to [be] recognized, too, and be on the path to reconcile. Thank you. Maci-chok!

Honourable senators, I would like to wrap up my speech by reading words from our former colleague and the critic of this bill in the last Parliament, Senator Don Plett. In his response speech to this bill last November, Senator Plett said:

Now, while I might not intervene very often on these types of bills where we are enacting a month or a week of recognition — I’m not the biggest fan of recognizing days, weeks or months — Bill S-274 —

— as it was then —

— presented by Senator McCallum, in my opinion, is different. It’s an exception because, in my opinion, it’s an opportunity for our country, especially our children, to learn a little bit about our history.

Senator Plett continued:

 . . . [Thanadelthur’s] story has not found the wider recognition that it rightfully and importantly deserves. We know of the impact that other major figures have had in our country and various provinces, but we also need a light to shine on stories like Thanadelthur’s. In a storied country like ours, too many important figures are pushed to the margins of history.

Senator Plett went on to conclude:

Colleagues, I would encourage all senators here to support Bill S-274 at second reading, for it to be studied at committee and for the committee to determine if this is the best avenue with which to recognize Thanadelthur, because, without a doubt, there needs to be recognition.

Thank you.