MP Scott Simms wants Ottawa to petition for return of Beothuk remains

Liberal MP Scott Simms plans to introduce a private members bill to have Beothuk remains on display at a museum in Scotland returned to Newfoundland and Labrador.

The remains of Beothuk woman Demasduit and her husband, a chief named Nonosabusut, have been stored in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for years.

• 'Stolen' Beothuk remains need to come home from Scotland, Mi'sel Joe says

Mi'sel Joe, chief of the Miawpukek Fisrt Nation reserve at Conne River, recently visited the site to briefly view the remains and perform a sweet grass ceremony, a purification ritual meant to wash away negative thoughts and feelings.

I worry that kids, not just kids of First Nations but all kids of Newfoundland and Labrador, will lose track of a story that is a big part of who we are as a province.- MP Scott Simms

Simms, the MP for Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor, said he was inspired by the chief's story and decided to bring the motion in to the House of Commons next week.

"What he went through going there and the ceremony that he performed over the remains and I thought to myself, 'you know, they're in Scotland. They're in a museum in Scotland,' and there's just something that's … obviously anybody would feel there's not something right," he told CBC's Central Morning Show.

"Obviously the repatriation is an obvious thing to do."

According to Simms, if the motion passes in the house a formal request would then have to be put to the U.K. and Scottish governments from Ottawa.

"I hope every member of Parliament is with me on this, that would be great. I would love to get the endorsement of all of them, I'd like to get the endorsement of party leaders on this," he said.

Simms added he hopes an MHA presents a similar motion in the House of Assembly to get both levels of government on the same page with the request, so it's clear to the U.K. what they're asking for.

However, with the House of Commons set to close this month - and a looming federal election — Simms isn't sure there will be progress made on the request any time soon.

But he added that even if he's not successful in the next election, he hopes the bill will make its way through the House of Commons and get approval to bring Demasduit and Nonosabusut home.

"I know the Beothuk village used to exist west of Grand Falls-Windsor and a lot of that has, I won't say disappeared but has receded back into somewhere else where it's not first and foremost anymore that we talk about," said Simms.

"I worry that kids, not just kids of First Nations but all kids of Newfoundland and Labrador, will lose track of a story that is a big part of who we are as a province."