Hon. Judy A. White: As a proud First Nations senator, I rise today to respond to the Speech from the Throne.
I am both proud and privileged to sit in this honourable chamber among esteemed colleagues in a place where voices from all walks of life shape the future of this country.
But on the day of the Speech from the Throne, as I looked across the room and saw so many Indigenous leaders present, adorned in their traditional attire and regalia, standing tall in our cultures and identities, the pride I felt was taken to a whole new level. Their attendance was more than symbolic; it was powerful. It was a moment that affirmed our presence, our resilience and our rightful place in the fabric of this nation.
I am constantly reminded that it is both a privilege and a profound responsibility to sit in this chamber, a place that for far too long did not reflect the full diversity and strength of the peoples who call these lands home. And yet, here we are, all 14 of us. The circle is beginning to close, and the voices of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are being heard in spaces where we were once forbidden and silenced.
Our presence is a reminder that Indigenous peoples are not on the margins of Canada’s story; we are central to it. We are treaty partners. We are rights holders. We are nation to nation. Despite attempts to remove us, we are here, standing proudly on this land which we have stewarded since time immemorial.
Therefore, it is imperative that Indigenous peoples, as rights holders and as distinct nations, are present at the Speech from the Throne. These ceremonies are not merely historic formalities; they are constitutional obligations which require us to reaffirm the relationships at the foundation of this country. Treaties were not one-time events of the past. They are living agreements built on mutual respect and ongoing dialogue.
Some treaties between the Crown and Indigenous nations were initially entered beginning in 1701 and are colloquially categorized as historic treaties. But this does not mean that they can be historicized, or that they are old documents which somehow hold lesser impact on Indigenous peoples today. Treaties represent continued commitments and unequivocal assurances of rights to lands and other benefits for Indigenous peoples. They are active agreements that exist in continuity and must consistently be upheld.
Treaties represent respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples that Canada must reaffirm with the opening of each Parliament through the Speech from the Throne.
Therefore, the presence of Indigenous peoples in the chamber during moments like the Speech from the Throne is not just ceremonial, it is constitutional. It is a reminder that Canada was built not in isolation but in partnership with First Peoples, and that partnership demands recognition, inclusion and a voice at the highest levels of governance.
We acknowledge that this response is delivered from the lands of our ancestors, lands that have sustained our nations for millennia.
The Speech from the Throne and my comments today are taking place on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people, who continue to face the systemic, colonial violences that have followed the colonization of this land. It is important to recognize that these lands were never surrendered to the Crown, and we must recognize our responsibility as stewards of this land, its waters and all our relations.
The Speech from the Throne acknowledged Indigenous peoples and affirmed that any vision of a shared future must include us.
This recognition is appreciated. However, we remind the Crown and its representatives that genuine reconciliation requires more than symbolic gestures. It demands the full implementation of free, prior and informed consent as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is not merely a moral imperative; it is an international standard that affirms our sovereignty and our right to determine what happens on our lands and to our people.
True freedom — freedom grounded in justice — demands the full recognition and implementation of this principle. The Government of Canada defines free, prior and informed consent as:
. . . processes that are free from manipulation or coercion, informed by adequate and timely information, and occur sufficiently prior to a decision so that Indigenous rights and interests can be incorporated or addressed effectively as part of the decision making process . . . .
This is not a suggestion. It is both a legal obligation and a moral imperative stemming from a standard that is enshrined in international law and integral to our commitment to UNDRIP. It is a path forward that upholds Indigenous sovereignty and fosters genuine partnership.
Yet, as many colleagues who join me on the Indigenous Peoples Committee will recall, time and again we hear from Indigenous people who have experienced violations of their right to free, prior and informed consent. On countless occasions, Canada has failed to conduct proper consultations with Indigenous peoples and treated consultation like a checkbox rather than a meaningful process of dialogue and co‑development.
References to the true north being strong and free were echoed in this chamber, but for many First Nations, this land has not been free; it has been stolen. Our consent has been ignored, our voices have been silenced and our laws have been dismissed. The land has been occupied and divided, too often without our consent and at great cost to our communities, cultures and future generations.
First Nations have been exploited throughout this country’s history. Colonization dispossessed Indigenous nations of our territories, suppressed our governance systems and attempted to erase our identities. True freedom means liberation from the legacy of colonialism. It means the return of lands, the recognition of our laws and governance systems, the honouring of treaties and meaningful partnerships rooted in equality and respect.
Today, colonial harms continue in different forms through the over-incarceration of our people, the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the degradation of our lands and the denial of our inherent rights. In this new era filled with patriotism, affirmations of Canada’s sovereignty and discussions of nation building, we must not forget the ways in which the darkness of our past bleeds into the present. We must remain steadfast and clear-eyed in our commitment to true and meaningful reconciliation. If we are to be clear-eyed, we must be prepared not only to recognize these truths, but to act on them with courage and conviction.
Now I would like to highlight something from my culture. In our culture, the Mi’kmaq have a principle called two-eyed seeing, and I would like to compare it to being clear-eyed, which His Majesty King Charles III invoked in the Speech from the Throne. Two-eyed seeing is a guiding principle coined by Elder Albert Marshall. It refers to the ability to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and from the other with the strengths of Western knowledge while using both eyes together for the benefit of all. Mi’kmaw elder Albert Marshall of Eskasoni, Nova Scotia, describes it like this:
Two-eyed seeing teaches us to recognize the value in multiple ways of knowing. One eye sees through Indigenous ways, rooted in relationships, land, and spirit; the other through Western scientific perspectives. The goal is not to choose one or blend them into a single view, but to respect and use both where they’re strongest.
This means that we are invited to learn to see the world from both Indigenous and Western perspectives rather than merging the two into a single lens. Two-eyed seeing respects the distinct strengths of each and emphasizes the importance of co-learning. It encourages mutual respect and the integration of Indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding to address complex modern problems, particularly in environmental stewardship and health.
Similarly, “clear-eyed” typically refers to a mindset or perspective that is realistic, honest and unclouded by illusions or wishful thinking. It emphasizes facing reality directly, acknowledging complexity and making decisions based on evidence, clarity and emotional detachment.
During the Speech from the Throne, His Majesty spoke of the duty to be clear-eyed about the past and the present, and he invoked a vision of unity, responsibility and healing. We affirm that such clarity begins with truth — about the dispossession of Indigenous lands, the ongoing impacts of colonization and the need to uphold Indigenous rights not just in word but in action.
The clear-eyed approach emphasizes the need to move beyond romanticized narratives and see the world and history as they truly are, with their challenges and contradictions. It is a call to recognize difficult truths and act responsibly, especially in relation to heritage, the environment and social justice. In this chamber, he emphasized that we must be clear-eyed given that the world has become a more dangerous and uncertain place, with Canada facing challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetime.
In a world marked by complexity and historical reckoning, the call to view issues with clarity and humility has never been more vital. Two distinct yet philosophically aligned frameworks — His Majesty’s notion of being clear-eyed and the Mi’kmaw principle of two-eyed seeing — offer complementary ways of approaching truth, reconciliation and progress. Both frameworks encourage balance and humility. Where clear-eyed vision seeks truth through unflinching honesty, two-eyed seeing builds wisdom through dialogue and the respectful coexistence of differing worldviews. In this way, they can be seen not as oppositional but as complementary, each calling us to greater awareness, responsibility and care in how we live and relate to others.
If we are to move forward together as nations, not as subjects, we must indeed be clear-eyed. We must see the past for what it was, the present for what it is and the future for what it can be. This will require courage from the Crown and all levels of government to go beyond acknowledgement and toward justice.
The Speech from the Throne is a moment to set a course and state the government’s priorities. Let it not be another missed opportunity. Let it be the beginning of a new chapter, one that finally honours treaties, respects Indigenous jurisdiction and embraces a truly shared future built not on the foundations of an empire but the principles of partnership, peace and Indigenous resurgence.
Honourable senators, reconciliation is not built on good intentions alone. It is built through actions that restore balance, honour treaties, return lands and uphold Indigenous jurisdiction. It is built through the recognition that First Nations are not stakeholders — we are rights holders and nations. The Crown, through the Senate, has a responsibility to uphold this truth.
The future we envision — a shared one — is not a future in which we are assimilated or managed, but one in which we stand as equals, Indigenous nations and the Canadian state walking side by side, each with our own laws, cultures and responsibilities.
It is not enough to be seen. It is not even enough to be heard these days. The presence of our voices must result in concrete actions. We must ensure that the substance of reconciliation matches the ceremony, that words lead to action and acknowledgements are followed by accountability. Let this not be another chapter of words without change. Let us begin a new era, one grounded in respect, responsibility and the shared understanding that justice for First Nations is justice for all.
As Parliament sets its priorities for the coming session, let us be clear-eyed and practise two-eyed seeing in advancing justice, equity and self-determination for Indigenous peoples. Whether it be through policies on housing, clean water, education or true implementation of UNDRIP, we have work to do. Let us rise to meet that work with courage and humility. Let us never forget the image of Indigenous leaders, proud in their traditions, standing where we have always belonged — at the centre of power, culture and possibility in this country.