Honourable senators, at this time of year, I’m always struck by how the holidays bring about a sense of community.

In First Nations communities, the ties that bind are cultural and linguistic. Regardless of place, I feel an instant affinity with those who understand the warmth and comfort of lusknikn and gastio’mi or people who identify themselves as L’nu.

The connection through language is so important that some go to great lengths to build up their proficiency. One such story is that of Rose Meuse and shalan joudry who are from Bear River First Nation in Nova Scotia.

At a language conference in Eskasoni, they talked about an adult immersion program that they developed in cooperation with Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, the Mi’kmaw education authority. I was struck by their dedication and resilience in going from not speaking at all to becoming very proficient in a few short years. Many know that the older you become, the tougher it is to learn a new language. Those stories of Rose and shalan inspire me to want to do more for Mi’kmaw language revitalization.

Colleagues, I used to believe that Indigenous languages, as inherent rights under section 35 of the Constitution, should not be placed in the same bucket as French. However, I believe there is a parallel that needs to be explored and understood. The Official Languages Act ensures that French language is properly funded throughout this country. However, we are not seeing the same level of funding commitment to Indigenous languages.

I don’t believe that Indigenous issues should be siloed exclusively in the Indigenous Peoples Committee, although that committee does excellent work under the capable chairmanship of Senator Francis. I believe that Indigenous issues touch every aspect of Canadian life and, thus, should be on every committee’s radar.

It is my hope that we can explore these issues and champion them together. Wela’lioq. Thank you very much.