Cree NDP MP Romeo Saganash used unparliamentary language in the House to blast Justin Trudeau's
push to complete the Trans Mountain Expansion project despite concerns from many Indigenous groups. Take a look.
When a Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what.
Why doesn't the Prime Minister just say the truth, and tell Indigenous peoples that he
doesn't give a [bleeped] about their rights.
The outspoken MP joins me now, Romeo Saganash good evening!
Hi, how are you?
Romeo, Romeo, swear for art thou Romeo!
Talk about a swearing in, now Romeo, the last time an MP was this upset about an F word
in the House was when Elizabeth May complained because Michelle Rempel said "fart," true story.
What made you decide to drop an F bomb?
Well first of all, let me say that our communications team advised me against it, against doing it,
and just because they said not to do it, I did it.
That's the way I am, so... so it came out.
Wow.
Well then Romeo, whatever you do, do not swear during this interview.
I'm ordering you.
Now, Justin Trudeau has given us plenty of rhetoric on Indigenous rights but little substantive policy.
When it comes to Indigenous issues, how would you grade his government?
Or actually, you already gave him an F didn't you, I forgot sorry.
Now that we've mentioned it.
That was an easy one, yeah.
You would agree, you'd give him an F?
Oh yeah.
Are you worried that the swearing is getting more attention that the important issue that
you were swearing about?
Yeah, that's a problem, I knew it was going to happen that way, it's unfortunate because the serious
side of that question is fundamentally important.
I'm saddened by the fact that everybody got hooked on the F word, but like I told my people,
and especially my seat mates because I have two women beside me, I apologized before doing
it, but I said there's no other word for what's going on.
There's no other word, I tried saying he doesn't give a hoot or...
Yeah that's not as strong, "YOU SIR DON'T GIVE A HOOT!"
"YOU'RE SO FULL, OH YOU'RE POPPYCOCK" It doesn't work, you have to... yeah.
Double down.
That was the only word that was fitting for the situation and that's what I used.
So it was planned, going into it, it was planned, because some people said, maybe he did it
in the moment, it was so emotional, but the Globe and Mail's Robert Fife was on CTV's Powerplay and he had this to say:
At first blush you think, this is a guy whose
fed up and frustrated and he let this word out.
But after the fact, when you see him apologize and sit down and then chuckle it up with his
colleagues you know darn well it was a scam.
Now he says it was, is this some kind of scam to get people to talk about Indigenous issues,
because if it is, I don't have a problem with that, as long as people are talking.
I have two things to say about that, first of all, when I sat down after my apology,
some Bloc Quebecois member said something funny so I turned to him and smiled, that's
one thing.
The other thing was that when my staff or communications people are unable to come up
with a question for me that day, they said, we don't know what question we could give you.
I said well, if that is the case I will write my own question.
And that's what I did and that's what happened.
That's the way I felt, and the only people that knew about the question, not even the
Whip that sits in front of me, knew about the question.
I bet you the Whip didn't know about the question.
I have no problem believing that.
Speaking of which, I did speak to your leader about this, here's what Jagmeet Singh had to say:
He continually hears this government say,
"The Indigenous community is the most important relationship" and then again and again that
relationship is violated.
I can see why he's frustrated.
So seems like he doesn't have a problem with it, so once again, feel free to swear away buddy.
Now we are losing a lot of Indigenous languages, do you think you missed out on an opportunity
to help by not swearing at the Prime Minister in Cree?
Well, yeah, obviously I was thinking about that, and there are a lot of swear words in Cree.
Like what?
Like, djadoohoom!
Hey whoa watch it!
Djidtts!
Y'know those are two words that are commonly used in our language.
The first one means, "You prick," the second one means, "You ass."
Well I'm glad I could do my part to help with reconciliation.
It will be fun to see if that gets past the censors on CBC.
You've announced that you're not running in the next election so can we expect more bad boy behaviour?
Are you just saying, I'm out of here soon so F it!
People that know me will tell you that that's how I am, but the F word I've never used really
before in public.
The only time I used it was back in 1985 this is a true story
I'm listening.
In 1985 there was this panel of lawyers including the one that represented the Cree in the James Bay
case in the early '70s and as he was speaking about Cree rights and Cree people and Cree
territory and Cree culture, Cree way of life, I said to myself, "F*** I can do that."
Romeo Saganash best of luck my friend, keep fighting the good fight.