We are all proud of Robert-Falcon Oullette for his role in bringing Cree into the House of Commons. As he reclaims the language which is his birthright, we are also proud of Kevin Lewis and Darren Okemaysim and others working to support him – and the Cree language – by providing translation in the House. Read more from the Winnipeg Free Press, and from iPolitics. Scroll down to see the full text in Cree as it will appear in Hansard.
kimahihcihinânâwâw – ᑭᒪᐦᐃᐦᒋᐦᐃᓈᓈᐚᐤ – You all make us proud!
| M-207: mistikwaskisinak nanâtohkôskânêsiwi-kîsikâw | Dutch Heritage Day |
| kâ-isi-itasinahikâtêk kâ-wî-pîkiskwâtamihk | Text of the Motion |
| êkota, kê-itêyihtamihk okihci-wiyasowêwikamikohk, kâ-itâpahtâhkik kâkiyaw kâ-kî-isi-pê-mêkicik ayisiyiniwak ôta ohci kâ-kanâtahk ta-kwêskinahkik ita anima askiy Netherlands kâ-itamihk, asici mîna kâ-isi-pê-mêkicik kâ-pê-miyâcik ôki ohci ôta kâ-kanâtahk aniki ohci mistikwaskisinak onanâtohkôkânêsiwin, kâ-nîkânapîstahkik kitaskînaw ta-nisitawinahkik itahto ispayiki sâkipakâwipîsim niyânan akimihci ta-wihtamihk isi mistikwaskisinak nanâtohkôskânêsiwi-kîsikâw ta-kistêyihtamihihcik kâ-âkwâpitisocik ôta askiy. | That, in the opinion of the House, in recognition of the sacrifices made by Canadians in the liberation of the Netherlands, as well as the contributions made to Canada by those of Dutch heritage, the government should recognize every May 5 as Dutch Heritage Day to honour this unique bond. |
| kinanâskômitin, onîkâni-pîkiskwêw. mistahi ninanâskômon ta-ayâyân ôma ta-pîkiskwâtamân iyikohk kâ-kî-isi-pê-misi-mêkicik ôta ôma kâ-kanâtahk askiy kâ-kî-kakwê-kwêskinahkik Netherelands kê-itamihk. kikâ-kî-koskohowak ayisiyiniwak, anima tâpwêwin mistahi êsa ôki nistam-iyiniwak mistahi wîstawâw mêkiwak ôma kwêskinikêwin. môsci-awiyak môy kê-itêyihtam ê-âkwâpitsocik nistam-iyiniwak êkwa mistikwaskisinak, mâka astêw anima âkwâpisowin. | Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very thankful to have this opportunity to speak about the tremendous contributions made to Canada by those of Dutch heritage and the incredible sacrifices made by Canadians in the liberation of the Netherlands. What might surprise people, is the fact that many Indigenous people contributed to this liberation. One might not think that there is much of a link between Indigenous people and Dutch people, but there definitely is. |
| nîswâw kâ-kî-isi-nôtinitohk kâhkiyaw isi, ayiwâk isi nîsomitanaw nistam-iyiniwak wanihtâw opimâtisiwiniwâw. ôta kâ-kanâtahk nistam-iyiniwak asici kî-mêkiwak ayiwâkêsîs isi nîstanaw-nistosâp kihci-mitâtahtomitanaw pîwâpiskwa osôniyâmiwâwa ohci ta-wîcihitâsocik kâ-kî-isi-nôtinitohk, môy itowâhk sôniyâw kâ-mêkihk kâ-kicimâkisicik tâpiskôc Red Cross kâ-icikâtêk ahpô anima British War Victims Fund kâ-icikatêk. nistam-iyiniwak asici kî-mêkiwak âtiht otaskîwâwa, kî-âpacihcikâtêwa isi pimiyâkan otwêhowinihk, opaskisikêwi-misipaskwak êkwa naskwâwikamikwa. tipahâskân anima Manitoba kâ-icikâtêk anima kinosêwi-sîpiy iskonikan kî-miyâwak British Empire Medals ohci ana King George VI êkospîhk kâ-kî-nîkânapit ispîhk 1943 kâ-kî-ispayik kâ-kî-pê-isi-nîkânîcik êkwa kâ-kî-pê-wîcihtahkik itê isi anima kâ-kî-mêkwâ-kihci-nôtinitohk. | In the Second World War as a whole, more than 200 Indigenous soldiers lost their life. Canadian First Nations bands also donated more than $23,000 of their own money to the war effort, which does not include money donated to charities such as the Red Cross or the British War Victims Fund. First Nations peoples also contributed some reserve lands, which were used for airports, rifle ranges and defence posts. Manitoba's Norway House Band was awarded British Empire Medals from King George VI in 1943 for the leadership and loyalty they demonstrated to the war effort. |
| nistam-iyiniwak onôtinikêwiyiniwak kaskihtamâsowak kêyiwêhk ayinânêwosâp wawêsîhiwêwin osâm ê-kî-pê-isi-onâpêkâsocik kâ-mêkwâ-nôtinikêcik. kî-wîcihiwêwak kâhkiyaw ita kâ-kî-nôtinitohk êkwa kâ-isi-wiyasiwâcikâtêk, ita ohci anihi kâ-kî-pê-misiwanâcihihcik Dieppe askîwâwa, kâ-wâsakêwêmêpayik Normandy kâ-kî-pîhtokwêcik êkwa mîna kâ-kî-nôtinitohk ita Battle of Hong Kong kê-icikâtêk ita kêkâc nîswâw-kihci-mitâtatomitnaw ayisiyiniwak ohci Winnipeg Grenadiers kâ-itihcik êkwa aniki Royal Rifles of Canada kâ-itihcik kî-kipahwâwak ita aniki ohci sêkipacwâsak. kêkâc nikotwâsosâp ôki kipahwâwak kî-pê-nistam-iyiniwîwak âhpo kî-pê-âpihtawi-kosisânîwak. | Indigenous soldiers earned a minimum of 18 decorations for bravery in action. They participated in every major battle and campaign, from the disastrous Dieppe landings, the pivotal Normandy invasion and the Battle of Hong Kong where just under 2,000 members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada became prisoners of war of the Japanese. At least 16 of those prisoners were First Nations people or Métis. |
| ispîhk nôcihitowipîsim kâ-kî-akimiht 1944, nisto-pîsimwa poko kâ-kî-kîsipayik D-Day, êkonik ôki ayisiyiniwak ohci ôta kâ-kanâtahk kî-mâciwêpinikêwak ta-kakwê-kâwi-âkwâpitahkik anima Netherlands otaskîwâw ohci aniki Nazi kâ-itihcik ta-sâpô-otinahkik. kâ-kî-isi-itwêyân nistam, âtiht ôki onôtinikêwiyiniwak kî-pê-nistam-iyinîwak êkwa mistahi kî-mêkiwak kâ-paspihîhcik ôki mistikwaskisinak. | In September 1944, only three months after D-Day, the Canadians began the campaign that would liberate the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. As I mentioned previously, some of these brave soldiers were Indigenous and gave their all for the freedom the Dutch people deserved. |
| ninohtê-kihcêyihtamihâw mistahi kisiskâciwanihk tipahâskân awa David Greyeyes kâ-kî-itiht. nistam kî-kistikânîwiw maskêkowiyinînâhk iskonikan ohci, kî-mâci-nôtinikêwiyinîwiw ita Great Britain kâ-âso-miyât nistam-pâskisikêwina kocihtâwin kotakak êsa kâ-mâcihtâcik, kî-wîcihiwêw ita Italy, France, Belgium êkwa ohci mîna, ita Netherlands. mistahi kî-kiskêyimâw kê-isi-nahîht papâsi-pâskisikan mîna kê-isi-âpacihtât pâskisikan, kî-kwêyâci-kiskinwahamawêw papâsi-pâskisikani-âkwâpicikanisa. kâ-kî-kîsi-sipwêhtêt ê-kî-kîsihtât nikotwâsik askîwina, kî-kâwi-pê-kîwêw ôta kâ-kanâtahk êkwa kî-kâwi-kistikêw. kî-pê-kihci-wîkimêw kotak onôtinikêwiyiniw Flora Jeanner kâ-kî-itiht, kî-nistam-iskwêwiw ohci nistam-iyiniwak ta-nitawi-pihtokwêt nôtinikêwin, kî-wîcihiwêw ita kâ-kî-itahkik RCAF Women’s Division ita ôma kâ-kanâtahk. mwêstasîs nistam êsa wiya ôta kâ-kanâtahk nistam-iyiniw ta-miyiht Regional Director of Indian Affairs kâ-itamihk. Greyeyes awa asici kî-ôkimâhkânîwiw ita anima maskêkowiyinînâhk iskonikan aciyaw. ispîhk 1977 kâ-kî-ispayik, kî-pihtokwahâw ita anima Saskatchewan’s Sports Hall of Fame. pêyakwan isi ispîhk anima askiy, kî-kistêyimâw otaskiy ohci kâ-kî-miyiht anima Member of the Order of Canada kâ-itamihk. | I would like to highlight Saskatchewan's David Greyeyes. Originally a grain farmer from the Muskeg Lake Cree Band, he began his service in Great Britain giving advanced weaponry training to reinforcements, served in Italy, France, Belgium and of course, the Netherlands. Best known for his proficiency in machine-gun and rifle use, he was instrumental in training machine-gun reinforcement units. After Lt. Greyeyes' six years of service, he came back to Canada and resumed farming. He married Veteran Flora Jeanne, who was one of the first Indigenous women to join the air force, being part of the RCAF Women's Division in Canada. He later became the first Canadian First Nations member to be appointed Regional Director of Indian Affairs. Greyeyes was also chief of the Muskeg Lake Band for a time. In 1977, he was inducted into Saskatchewan's Sports Hall of Fame. That same year, he was honoured by his country by being appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. |
| kotak ana ta-wîhiht onôtinikêwiyiniw Charles Byce kâ-kî-itiht, kî-pêyakokâpawiw itowâhk simâkanisîtatoskêwin – Lake Superior Regiment kâ-kî-icikâtêk – ta-kahtinahk nîswaya Distinguished Conduct Medal kâ-itamihk êkwa anima Military Medal. Louisa Saylors okosisa, kî-nêhiyaw-iskwêwiw ita ohci Moose Factory iskonikan, Ontario ita tipahâskân, Byce kî-kahtinam nistam ê-miyawâhtamâht okihci-nîkânîwin ohci – MM kâ-itamihk – ita anima Netherlands ispîhk kâ-kî-kisê-pîsimohk 1945 ispîhk. kâ-ohci-âcimohk ôma mistahi mamâstêyihtâkwan. | Another noteworthy soldier was Charles Byce, who was the only member of his regiment—the Lake Superior Regiment—to earn both the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal. Son of Louisa Saylors, a Cree from Moose Factory, Ontario, Byce earned his first decoration for valour—the MM—in the Netherlands in January 1945. The story behind this award is quite amazing. |
| kâ-kî-kisê-pîsimok kâ-kî-akimiht nîsitanaw-pêyakosâp, 1945 ispîhk, Acting Corporal Byce êkwa nîsitanaw-nistosâp kotakak Lake Superior ohci onôtinikêwiyiniwak kisipwê-mâhtahêwak ita kâ-kaskatawâhk nôtinikêw-askîhk ta-nitawi-kahtinahkik kiskêyihtamowin ita ohci Pîwâpiskwastotin okipahwowak. Byce kî-osâpahtam niyânwâw-nâpêw owîci-nôtinikêwak ê-itisahocik ta-asawâpahcikêcik aniki ohci kâ-kî-nitawi-kahtinahkik kiskêyihtamowin. ispîhk kâ-takohtêcik ita anima kâ-ayâhciyinîwaskîhk, aniki kâ-nitawi-kahtinahkik kiskêyihtamowin kêkâc sêmâk kî-pâskiswâwak nistwâw Pîwâpiskwastotin kâ-kî-isikâpawicik. Byce wiya kî-pêyako-miskawêw nîso êkwa kipihtowêhêw pahkitêpayi-môsosiniy. kî-kaskihow asici ta-kahtinahk kiskêyihtamowin ohci pêyak Pîwâpiskwastotin-kipahwâkan mwêhci ta-wâyonîcik. kâ-kî-isi-âcimohk isi, kâ-kî-isi-wayawîcik, kî-pâskiswâwak papâsi-pâskisikana, pê-pêyahtakakotêwi-môsiniy êkwa âtiht kâ-kwâskwêpinikâtêki pâhkitêpayi-môsosiniy kâ-kî-môsci-pahkitêpayiki mâka wâpahcikâtêw ita kâ-kî-kâsôcik. | On January 21 st , 1945, Acting Corporal Byce and 23 other Lake Superior soldiers set off behind enemy lines to gather intelligence from German prisoners. Byce oversaw a five-man team that was charged with providing cover for the reconnaissance group. Once they made their way to enemy territory, their reconnaissance group was almost immediately the target of fire from three German positions. Byce personally located two of them and silenced them with grenades. He even managed to obtain some information from a German prisoner before they made their way back. As the story has it, on their way out, they were fired at by machine-guns, light mortars and even a few hand-thrown grenades that exploded harmlessly but revealed enemy locations. |
| Corporal Byce kî-ati-môsci-itôtam, kî-môskîstawêw ita Pîwâpiskiwastotin owâtihkêwin, êkwa kwâskwêpinamawêw 36 tipahikana kâ-ispîhcâk pahkitêwi-môsisiniy. takohtâni âtiht kâ-kî-isi-nîkânîwîtahk, kî-paspîwak kâhkiyaw owîci-nôtinikêwiyiniwak kwayask. Byce kî-ati-wîhâw isi pêyak ohci kihci-mitâtahtomitanaw-nîso-mitâtahtomitanaw ôki ohci kâ-kanâtahk ta-kahtinahk Military Medal kâ-itamihk. kî-isi-masinahikâtêw ê-kihcêyihtamâht okihci-nôtinikêwiyiniw “kâ-isi-pêyatakêyimot” êkwa “kâ-sîhtatoskâtahk otatoskêwin” êkwa kî-miyâw nîkânîwin ôma kâ-kî-isi-miyopayik. | Corporal Byce took initiative, charged the German dugout, and hurled into it a 36-calibre grenade. Thanks in part to this heroic effort, the patrol escaped safely. Byce became one of more than 1,200 Canadians to receive the Military Medal. His citation commended the corporal for his "coolness" and "devotion to duty" and credited him with the mission's success. |
| êkonik ôki okihcihtâwak kî-pê-sôhkêwiyinîwak kâhkiyaw ohci ayisiyiniwak ôta kâ-kanâtahk. môy nikî-nanâskomâwak iyikohk kâ-kî-isi-pê-sôhki-atoskêcik kwayask ta-kanawêyihtahkik kitaskînaw kwayask. kâ-isi-wîtâpisômitocik aniki ayisiyiniwak ohci kâ-kanâtahk êkwa aniki mistikwaskisinak kâ-ohcîcik kî-ayiwâki-wîtâpisômitowak, êkây wanikiskisitân kâ-kî-isi-pê-mêkicik nistam-iyiniwak aniki ohci kâ-ohcîcik ayisiyiniwak Netherlands ohci. nikihcêyihtên ta-pîkiskwâtamân ôta nîkânapîstamâkêwikamikohk ta-sîhtoskamân ta-nisitawinamihk itahto ispayiki sâkipakâwipîsim niyânan kâ-akimiht ta-wîhtamihk Mistikwaskisinak Nanâtohkôskânêsiwi-kîsikâw ta-kihcêyihtamihihcik kâ-kî-pê-isi-nîsokâpawîstâtocik êkonik ôki Mistikwaskisinak, ayisiyiniwak ohci ôma Ka-kanâtahk, êkwa Nistam-iyiniwak. kiwîcêwâkanawak ôma Mistikwaskisinak kâ-ohcîcik, kinanâskômitinân mistahi kâ-kî-isi-pê-mêkiyêk ôta nitaskînâhk, êkwa mîna ôki kâ-isi-nîkânîcik onôtinikêwiyiniwak kâ-kî-isi-pê-astâcik opimâtisiwiniwâw ta-nitawi-nôtinikêcik ta-paspihihcik Mistakwaskisinak êkwa ayisiyiniwak ohci Kâ-kanâtahk taskami kitaskînâhk, mistahi kapêyi nikihcêyihtênân. mistahi kinanâskômitinân. | These brave men are heroes to all Canadians. I can not thank them enough for their hard work keeping our country safe. As the relationship between Canadians and those of Dutch heritage grows deeper, let us not forget the contributions Indigenous people made as well for the people of the Netherlands. I am honoured to speak in this House in support of recognizing every May 5th as Dutch Heritage Day to honour this unique bond between the Dutch, Canadians, and Indigenous people. To our friends of Dutch heritage, we thank you for your tremendous contributions to our country, and to our incredible soldiers who put their lives on the line for the freedom of the Dutch people and Canadians across the country, we are forever grateful. Thank you. |
| onîkâpêstamâkêw Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, kâ-kî-acimostawinân cî tânitê ê-isi-kâpawiyahk ôta Canada êkwa mîna tânisi ka-isi-mâmâwi-atoskâtamahk ohi misiwê-iyiniw pîkiskwêwina ota Canada. | Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism please update this House on Canada’s role in this initiative and the work being done to protect and revitalize Indigenous languages in Canada? |
| nimiywiyêhtên ôma ka-âcimostahtakohk ôki United Nations kâ-sihtoskahkik misiwê-iyiniw pîkiskwêwina 2019 kâ-akimiht, ka-âhkamêmocik êkwa ka-âhkam-atoskâhtâkik opîkiskwêwinowâwa. | I am proud to say that the United Nation has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages to help preserve these languages and safeguard the rights of those who speak them. |
One Response
Charles Henry Byce is my Great Grandfather. I was truly blessed to know him as a small child and I remember him to this day. My only wish is that I had not been born so late and gotten so little time with him. My father made sure we knew him and that we remembered him as we grew up. His story of strength and resilience goes so far beyond his heroism in battle. He was a true warrior.