Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on March 20th, 2024

Evidence of meeting #100 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was housing.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Supplementary Estimates (C), 2023-24: Votes 1c and 10c under Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Votes 1c, 10c and 15c under Department of Indigenous Services

Subject Matter of Supplementary Estimates (B), 2023-24: Vote 1b under Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Votes 1b and 10b under Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Votes 1b, 5b and 10b under Department of Indigenous Services

Subject Matter of Supplementary Estimates (C), 2023-24: Votes 1c and 10c under Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Votes 1c, 10c and 15c under Department of Indigenous Services

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Candice St-Aubin Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Indigenous Services

Nelson Barbosa Director General, Regional Operations, Department of Indigenous Services

Valerie Gideon Deputy Minister, Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs

5:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John Aldag

We'll continue right up until the votes start. I'll then suspend the meeting for a couple of minutes while people vote, and then we'll resume as quickly as possible.

Ms. Ashton, are you okay with that as well?

5:45 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB

Yes.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John Aldag

That's perfect. Thank you.

For the next round, the first question is for five minutes.

Mr. Genuis, the floor is yours.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Thank you, Chair.

Minister Hajdu, Canadians would expect that the indigenous procurement system would be designed to benefit indigenous peoples and indigenous communities, not a small number of well-connected NDP-Liberal government insiders. Dalian is a two-person company. They don't do actual work; they just get government contracts and subcontract to others.

How many indigenous people benefited from the $7.9 million your government sent to Dalian for ArriveCAN scam?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

I think I'll just blow by all the stupid slogans and answer the question.

Well, I'll tell you that the indigenous business directory is about—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I would love for you to answer the question. How many indigenous people benefited from the $7.9 million that your government gave to Dalian for the ArriveCAN scam?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

I think I'll just blow by the stupid slogans and begin by answering the question in a sincere way, which is what I would hope we would all do around this table, because these are serious issues and sincere concerns.

Let me just back up and say that Indigenous Services Canada does manage what's called—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Please don't back up; please just answer the question.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

I would love to do that. Are you ready to listen?

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Go for it.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

All right. That's great.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

How many indigenous people benefited? Just the number would be fine.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

The indigenous business directory is a directory that Indigenous Services Canada maintains to provide to other departments of Canada a list of businesses that have been verified as either—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

I'm sorry, Minister. This is a two-person company. They don't do any actual work. They're listed on the indigenous business directory. They receive contracts and subcontract. That's all they do. They get government contracts. They subcontract the work to others.

How many indigenous people benefited from the $7.9 million that your government gave to Dalian? I'm not looking for a history of the program; I'm just looking for a number.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Well, I think that—

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John Aldag

Just wait one second. I'll stop the clock.

Mr. Battiste, what's your point of order?

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS

It's repetition. She's trying to answer the question, and he keeps getting—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

It's repetition. It's repetition.

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS

The minister keeps getting interrupted as she—

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Jamie, respectfully, learn the rules, okay?

5:45 p.m.

An hon. member

It's not a point of order.

5:45 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

It's not a point of order, and it's not a repetition issue. I'm repeating the question—

5:45 p.m.

Liberal

Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS

Well, in this committee we give the minister—