Hon. Brian Francis: Honourable senators, it is my pleasure to welcome eight remarkable young Indigenous leaders to the Senate. They have travelled from across Turtle Island for Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders. This annual event is hosted by the Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, with support from the Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.

This week, we are hosting the eighth edition of Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders. We launched this event in 2016, and continue to host it because we want to hear from trailblazing Indigenous youth on what life is like in their communities and learn about the incredible work they are doing to inspire others.

We already heard testimonies from this year’s participants at our committee meeting this morning, and we look forward to learning more at another meeting this evening. I invite you all to join us, or to tune in and listen.

I now have the honour of introducing three participants of Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders 2024.

Bradley Bacon travelled from Unamen-Shipu, a small community that sits on the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Basse-Côte-Nord region of Quebec. Bradley is an Innu translator, interpreter and entrepreneur who started getting involved in his community through church activities as a teenager. He is working to create an intergenerational home that offers different services for those in need including legal advice, healing sessions and rooms for people experiencing homelessness. He has also served as a board chair for the community radio station and was selected to participate in Quebec’s youth parliament.

Justin Langan is a Métis youth advocate from Swan River, Manitoba, a picturesque town near the Saskatchewan border. He is the Founder and Executive Director of O’KANATA, a non-profit organization focused on supporting Indigenous youth through education and employment opportunities. Justin is also the recipient of the 2021 Métis Youth Indspire Award and the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award, among others. He is currently participating in the Parliamentary Internship Programme at the House of Commons.

Breane Mahlitz is a proud Métis woman with a passion for transforming health outcomes for her people. She is a health policy adviser at the Métis National Council, and she is also pursuing a graduate degree in Indigenous Public Health at the University of British Columbia. Breane recently received the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award, a scholarship for Métis youth pursuing post-secondary education. She is also the recipient of the Outstanding Youth Award from the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

Please join me in welcoming — and learning from — these Indigenous youth. Wela’lin, thank you.