Sol Mamakwa makes history speaking his language in the Ontario Legislature

Tim Brody - Editor

“When I first spoke, the first 30, 40 seconds or so, I thought I was breaking the rules. I thought somebody would stop me,” shared Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa of his history making speech in the Ontario Legislature on May 28.
Following a recent change to the standing orders on languages spoken in the legislature, Mamakwa made history addressing the house in Anishininiimowin (Oji-Cree), the first time a language other than English or French has been permitted in the legislative chamber at Queen’s Park.
The Kingfisher Lake band member’s mother, Kezia Mamakwa, who is not fluent in English, was in attendance with other members of Mamakwa’s family, along with Indigenous leaders from across the province, to take in the historic moment and hear an Indigenous language spoken in the Ontario Legislature for the first time.
Mamakwa received unanimous consent from all members of the house to speak for 10 minutes on the historic significance of Indigenous language.
“I am very grateful, thankful for the opportunity to be able to speak in Indigenous Oji-Cree language in this legislature. I am speaking for those that couldn’t use their language and also those people from Kiiwetinoong. Not only those from Kiiwetinoong but for every Indigenous person in Ontario. 
Mamakwa’s speech was translated by Sioux Lookout resident Angus Chapman.
In his speech, Mamakwa said the Oji-Cree language is becoming extinct. 
“The Government, years ago, prohibited the language from being spoken. The language was taken from us by the arrival of the settlers and the colonization and residential school. The history that has removed the children from our ways of life. Sometimes even soap was used for speaking their Oji-Cree language. They were punished for speaking their own language. They were given manual labour for speaking in their own language. Today I am very happy and thankful and proud. I just feel almost like an immense feeling that I feel. I thank every one of you, my colleagues here, in front of me and the back of me, my colleagues, I thank everyone for you are supporting us in revitalizing our Indigenous language and also for the guests that are looking out from the lofts. It’s a great event, an historic event.”
Mamakwa continued, “For my mom, that’s here, that’s celebrating her (79th) birthday, she used to take me out into the wilderness, into the land, teaching me the language. That’s why I’m able to speak my First Nations language because of my mom. She taught me. 
“Children need to carry on in their First Nations language so that they can speak their own language. 
“We need to revitalize our First Nations language. Teach your children to speak their First Nations language and to be proud of it.”
Mamakwa’s entire speech can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU_WOIVnpXo.
Following his speech, Mamakwa had the lead question in Question Period, where he pressed the provincial government for action on the shortage of long-term care beds in Sioux Lookout.
His efforts were rewarded with a commitment by Premier Doug Ford to build the long-term care facility in Sioux Lookout that has been lobbied for over several years.
“Elder care and long-term care in Sioux Lookout and Kiiwetinoong is not meeting the needs of our communities. The lack of new long-term care beds in Sioux Lookout has led to the emergency department and hospital beds being used by those who would otherwise be in the long-term care. Will Ontario ensure the Elders of Kiiwetinoong have access to the care and resources they need and that there will be funding provided to build them?” Mamakwa had asked.
Minister of Long-Term Care Stan Cho responded to Mamakwa’s question stating, “Some things are bigger than politics and I believe that’s one of those moments this morning. Megwich to the honourable member for that question”
Mamakwa, who attended Stirland Lake Residential School when he was 13 and 14 years of age, later moved to Sioux Lookout, attending and graduating from Queen Elizabeth District High School.
Reflecting on the historical day, he shared, “Overall, it was so good to see the support of the people that were around. Obviously, my mom, but also the leaders from the area. We had the regional chief, we had the grand chiefs from all areas across Ontario, we had Elders, we had youth that were watching… It was a very emotional time for everyone. When I spoke my language, I didn’t make that many notes, it was what I was feeling, it was what was coming out from my heart.”
He shared, “I remember going into detention because you spoke your language. Even friends that come to me and say, you know what, we got punished, we got hard manual labour when it’s like minus 40 below, you go work outside and they ask you to go cut wood for an hour.’
Mamakwa credits his parents for teaching him his language, “Every spring, even fall sometimes, we would go out on the land, and we would be gone weeks at a time, six to eight weeks. You’re out on the land and that’s kind of where you learn your language because all of the things that we talk about from the land, the places, the names, the lakes, the rivers, the creeks, the islands, all that stuff, they have names for them. My dad (Jeremiah Mamakwa, who passed away seven years ago) would tell me the reason why they were named that. There’s history in those. Our ancestors travelled through these river systems or lakes. There are stories attached to them. That’s where I learned it.”
Mamakwa shared that he got quite emotional making his address, “To have her (his mom, Kezia) to my left where I was standing, I could see her sitting there with my brother and sister. It felt so good to have her there. It was so good that everybody was there. I was really emotional, and I had to keep it together to finish what I needed to say.”
He said he was told how emotional people were to hear an Indigenous language spoken in that place.
“It was an honur to be able to do that on behalf of the Indigenous people, the First Nations people in Kiiwetinoong in my riding, not just that but to represent  Sioux Lookout, to represent the Kiiwetinoong people and I think the three things I really thought about that day were, of course my mom’s birthday, and then when I introduced here I didn’t mention her name, I just said my mom, and I mentioned it was her birthday, but of course I hadn’t mentioned her name yet, and then they started singing Happy Birthday. Everybody was like, Happy Birthday Sol’s mom, because I hadn’t introduced her as Kezia,” he recalled.
“My mom’s birthday was very sweet, that was special, but also me speaking my language was very monumental as well. The third piece I that I didn’t anticipate, but I was very much hopeful was for the Premier to commit to that 76 long-term care bed facility,” Mamakwa said.
He shared, “One of the things I thought about is why is this not happening across legislatures across the country?”
Mamakwa recalled, “There were some Elders that spoke to me and said, for a long time we were told that our languages would never be spoken in these places of colonialism, oppression, these institutions such as Queen’s Park. 10 years ago, four years ago, they believed they would never be spoken. I thought about that’s why I talked about it. I wanted to speak on behalf of the people that lost the language, the ones that went to Indian Residential School, even day school, but also the carriers, the protectors, the keepers of the language, the ones that kept speaking whatever even though they weren’t allowed. They had to secretly speak their language. These are the keepers. But also, for the young people, to be able to encourage young people that do not speak the language, to be able to learn the language.”
“This type of facility, this type of institution, Queen’s Park, I knew coming in this was a very colonial place. It was never built for First Nations people. I think to step out of that area and institute this standing order for allowing Ingenious languages to be spoken in this place is a path towards reconciliation,” he said.
Reflecting on the change that made the historic day possible, Mamakwa, Deputy-Leader of the NDP, said Conservative House Leader Paul Calandra played a big part.
“I think this about two months ago or so, it was a Monday evening, 5:30, around there, I was on house duty, and I got asked to go to the basement where there was a reception happening. I was asked to speak on behalf of the NDP. Typically, they have the government member, or a minister speak at this reception. He spoke before me. I spoke after him and one of the things I did there was I started to speak my language. I knew nobody understood me, except me. I translated for myself what I said. Basically, saying greetings. I translated for myself. One of the things I said during that time was it’s unfortunate that I’m not allowed to speak in the language upstairs in the chamber.”
Mamakwa continued, “I knew Paul Calandra heard me when I said those words. The next morning, it was a Tuesday morning, I’m having breakfast in the cafeteria, and he comes over and he starts addressing what I said, telling me that I can actually, in fact, speak my language in the house, and I said, no, I’ve tried it, Paul. We had that dialogue for a bit. He kind of walked away. He came back two minutes later to my table and said, Mr. Mamakwa, you’re right and I’m wrong. I was having breakfast with our house leader and said, we’ve got to change that, we’ve got to make sure that we allow that to happen. On that same week on a Thursday afternoon, they gave me the draft wording of the standing order change and I said, I would look at it over the weekend and we would talk on Monday. We come back Monday, so they have a second version of that standing order, I was okay with it. I checked with my team and also the NDP and they said that’s okay. By about, maybe 7 o’clock that night, a week after I spoke at that reception, that’s when they told me they’re going to table it first thing in the morning, which was Tuesday morning. I only spoke on it for about 24 minutes and after that we just voted it in and that’s how it happened,” Mamakwa explained. 
Following Mamakwa’s historic speech in the Ontario Legislature, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler re-affirmed NAN’s commitment to the preservation, revitalization, and strengthening of traditional languages:
“On behalf of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, I commend and thank our friend Sol for this tremendous accomplishment. What he did today is something many of our Elders and leaders thought would never happen.
“I was moved beyond words to sit in the House with Sol’s mother, his family, leadership and community members from across NAN territory and across Ontario as he spoke and conducted government business in his own language this morning. This was the first time an Indigenous language was officially spoken in the house of our provincial Treaty partner. I never imagined that I would witness such a significant and moving event in a government building.
“What we heard today was so long overdue, and something that our Nations will cherish and honour forever. Our language is an essential part of our identity and culture. It is who we are as a people. Today, Sol has inspired us to make sure that we continue to express our true selves through our languages.
“We are surrounded by the colonial legacy of Ontario and Canada, but leaders like Sol are breaking down barriers for generations to come. In honour of this historic day, we are re-affirming our commitment to the preservation, revitalization, and strengthening of our traditional languages.”