Debates of Nov. 22nd, 2012

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising again on a question I raised a number of weeks ago with regard to funding cuts to key aboriginal organizations.

I am going to read into the record a letter dated November 22 to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. It says:

Dear Minister Duncan:

We are writing to express our dismay over unprecedentedly deep funding cuts for Canada's Aboriginal Representative Organizations, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and tribal councils across the country. This follows the forced closure of the National Aboriginal Health Organization.

As researchers, we work with these organizations and others in research partnerships to tackle some of the most pressing issues Canada faces. Grant funding agencies supported by your government consistently identify Aboriginal research as one of the top priorities for research in Canada. They also make it clear that this research can only be done in partnership with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

As minister, you are well aware of the health, education and infrastructure issues that are preventing Canadian First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities from reaching their full potential. Innovative research partnerships between the people affected and the brightest minds at Canadian universities offer hope for resolving these issues in an effective and fiscally responsible way. In many cases, these bright young minds are First Nations citizens themselves.

We partner with the organizations whose funding you have cut on practical issues such as clean drinking water and community planning. We also partner with individual First Nations that rely on these umbrella organizations for training and support that enables them to engage meaningfully in research. Dedicated staff at these larger organizations, with whom we have developed relationships over years, are named as co-applicants and collaborators on our research grants. However, these people may not be able to carry through on their commitments because they may lose their jobs.

The potential loss of expertise is staggering and could take a generation to recover. Canada cannot afford to wait another generation for solid research on urgent issues. We urge you to rethink these ill-advised cuts to organizations that have been doing excellent work in their communities that benefits Canada as a whole.

This letter is signed by 121 different individuals at universities and organizations that are supporting this research.

Concerns are being raised from coast to coast to coast on these cuts. I just need to quote once again the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which Canada endorsed in November 2010. Article 19 states:

States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them.

These cuts are seriously hampering organizations that are offering support, particularly to some of the smaller bands. The government is actually forcing cuts right at the time we are seeing crises in things like housing, water and education.

The Conservative government has a legislative agenda that actually requires some of the services that were formerly provided by, for example, tribal councils, to help with the implementation of that legislative agenda—for example, Bill C-27, the financial transparency and accountability act.

I am just asking the parliamentary secretary if the government has reviewed the impact of these cuts and what it will mean for these organizations to be able to deliver services that are essential in these communities.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to extend the discussion. Particularly over the last couple of weeks when there has been a pretty light load for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, we like to continue debating this matter, speaking to the health and self-sufficiency of aboriginal communities. We take this very seriously.

On September 4, our government announced an exciting new funding model for aboriginal representative organizations, tribal councils and band advisory services. We are taking steps to ensure that government funding will be more clearly focused on those shared priorities and to maintain the progress we have made toward healthier and more self-sufficient aboriginal communities across the country.

Our new approach will ensure that projects being funded are better aligned with our government's shared priorities of education, economic development, community infrastructure and other initiatives that promote great self-sufficiency in aboriginal communities. Let me assure the member that these priorities are in fact shared by first nations, Métis and Inuit leadership. Our government has taken steps to make the greatest impact with our resources. The new funding model will create greater funding equity among aboriginal organizations across Canada.

This is a time of transition and change. To minimize the impact of these changes on organizations, we are streamlining the reporting requirements and the changes are being implemented over time. This will allow everyone to adapt their operations and, if needed, to seek out new sources of funding. Aboriginal representative organizations make a great contribution on behalf of all their members and this is recognized by our government.

This is the first modification to tribal council funding since it was launched more than 30 years ago. Funding for tribunal councils will be based on several considerations, including the size of the populations they serve, the number of first nation communities in their membership and the range of major programs they deliver. This new approach will reduce the reporting burden on organizations with a simplified application and reporting process.

We are making changes to have a greater impact where it matters the most: in the communities. Over the last six years, the government has invested in creating the conditions for healthier, more self-sufficient aboriginal communities. Economic action plan 2012 builds on that progress with $275 million in new funding for first nation education, an additional $330.8 million to build and renovate water infrastructure on reserve and improve water quality for first nations communities, $27 million to renew the urban aboriginal strategy and $13.6 million to support aboriginal consultation on resource development projects.

We are making changes to have a greater impact where it matters most in communities across the country and we will continue to work with first nations communities to improve the lives of their members through targeted investments and, though changed, our continued funding to aboriginal representative organizations, tribunal councils and band advisory services will continue to make a difference in aboriginal communities.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that in a draft analysis I have it says that cuts to core funding for all first nations organizations between 2012 and 2015 are projected to be over $6.1 million or 32.3%, cuts to core funding for regional first nations organizations between 2012 and 2015 are projected to be $5.6 million or 40.3% and cuts to core funding for first nations tribal councils between 2011 and 2015 are projected to be $19.5 million or 40%.

The government has indicated that it is telling tribal councils that they will not have to provide what have been deemed essential services in the past, but nowhere is there any information about who is now going to provide these essential services. I have spoken to first nations from coast to coast to coast. When I say that we have heard the government is making these cuts and ask who has received additional funding as a result of these cuts since they are supposed to be targeted, not one organization has been able to identify where this money was supposedly redirected.

Will the parliamentary secretary tell us who will get the additional funding to provide these services and when they will get it?

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this government has consistently shown its commitment to aboriginal people through significant investments to enable them to participate in, contribute to and benefit from Canada's prosperity. Our government continues to take concrete steps to create conditions for healthier, more self-sufficient aboriginal communities.

The new funding models put in place in September 2012 will continue to create greater funding equity and ensure that our funding is directed at the delivery of essential services and programs for aboriginal people.

We are delivering on tangible and lasting results that will ensure every person in every community is well positioned to fully participate in a strong, dynamic Canadian economy.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands not being present to raise the matter for which adjournment notice has been given, the notice is deemed withdrawn.

As such, the motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 5:51 p.m.)