An indigenous MP says he’s being prevented from using his language in the House of Commons after the Speaker said in a ruling this week that the House doesn’t have the capacity to translate indigenous languages into English and French. But Saganash quickly took up the mantle, pointing out that the Speaker’s ruling came on the eve of National Aboriginal Day. “This is frustrating, not to say insulting, because my language has been spoken for 7,000 years,” he told the House. In question period Wednesday, Saganash asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a question in Cree, with no English or French translation, partly in protest of the ruling. Simultaneous translation was first raised as a possibility by Quebec MP J.-Eugène Lefrançois when he addressed the House in December 1952.

Source: National Post June 21, 2017 22:52 UTC