Romeo Saganash

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 9th, 2016]

With regard to the total expenditures of the government incurred by all departments defending against Aboriginal-rights claims made against the government and appealing against case decisions upholding Aboriginal rights in court: (a) what was the amount spent on these activities, broken down by fiscal year from 2002-2003 to 2014-2015; (b) what was the amount spent on these activities to date in the current fiscal year; (c) what was the actual amount budgeted to be spent on these activities, broken down by fiscal year from 2002-2003 to 2014-2015; and (d) what was the actual amount budgeted to be spent on these activities for the current fiscal year?

[Indigenous Affairs, March 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the residential schools tragedy is still a burden for so many people.

For example, a survivor of St. Anne's residential school in northern Ontario is seeking justice, but he is being thwarted by Justice Department lawyers who knowingly, yes, knowingly, withheld documents that would have helped his case. That is not only unacceptable, it is appalling.

Will the Minister of Justice order her officials to stop denying this survivor's legitimate requests and to stop obstructing justice?

[Indigenous Affairs, February 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, right before the election and, not surprisingly, in a shroud of secrecy, the Conservatives imposed a new financial system for all modern treaties, which goes against those very same treaties. The Liberals have promised a new era of nation-to-nation relationships with Canada's first nations. Now is the time to prove it and to deliver on that promise.

Will the government put an end to this totally unjust and above all illegal policy?

[Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL, February 22nd, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Sudbury for his speech. I worked at the United Nations for more than 23 years and I noted during those 23 years the erosion of our country's reputation because of certain behaviours by the Conservatives. We must improve Canada's image and win back the reputation we once had. There was a time that when Canada spoke, the world listened. That was not so under the Conservatives. I have a simple question for the hon. member for Sudbury.

Does he not think that in this context, it would have been better for this mission to be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations, or NATO?

[Indigenous Affairs, February 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to building a new nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples. He even cited the Supreme Court as proof.

Now his government is refusing to listen to first nations communities that oppose the Site C dam project in British Columbia.

When is the Prime Minister going to walk the talk? Will this be just one more broken promise made to indigenous peoples, continuing in the tradition of the past 150 years under successive Conservative and Liberal governments?

[Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL, February 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the minister on her appointment to what I see as a very important position.

Earlier today I heard her colleague from Winnipeg North say that we, the second opposition party, had it all wrong in this debate and that we had nothing to suggest. I have been hearing that since Friday. We have suggested humanitarian assistance and measures to block the resources going to terrorist groups, such as cutting off their weapons supply, their funding, and their capacity to recruit overseas.

If the NDP has it all wrong in this debate, I am wondering if the minister would say that Norway, South Korea, and New Zealand also have it all wrong, since their contributions are strictly humanitarian in nature.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, harassment within the RCMP is once again making headlines.

Things are supposedly under control, but the problem is clearly systemic. Furthermore, the RCMP seems incapable of handling its internal complaints in a fair manner. There is no respect for victims, allegations are not taken seriously, and punishments are laughable.

When will the government demand that the RCMP take things seriously?

[World Day of Social Justice, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand to recognize World Day of Social Justice.

In Eeyou, communities we are taught that each person has a role to fulfill in maintaining a healthy society. Everyone and everything is valued and included. We learn that babies can teach us patience, that youth can remind us to have enthusiasm, and that our parents and grandparents provide wisdom, guidance and stability.

Today we live in an amazing time, and yet the global economy continues to operate in terms of unwanted, redundant, and superfluous. We are all part of an interconnected web of relationships. We have obligations to one another and everything in our lives.

Let us lift our gaze from the nasty and the brutish and imagine a better world. Social justice must be at the heart of all we do. We must ensure that all peoples can live free of discrimination, follow their dreams, and experience unity. By working together, we can walk alongside those who seek beauty and justice.

[Indigenous Affairs, February 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that 1,000 compensation claims for harm caused at residential schools were rejected because of a technical administrative error.

This attitude flies in the face of reconciliation. Parliament did in fact offer an official apology. The victims have suffered enough. The government has to follow through on its intentions.

What does the Minister of Justice intend to do to correct this shameful situation?

[Indigenous Affairs, January 29th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of the events that occurred in Val-d'Or in October 2015, I am pleased today to inform you that the Val-d'Or Declaration was signed on December 15, 2015. The declaration is the product of countless intense meetings initiated by the mayor of Val-D'Or, Pierre Corbeil, with the valuable and necessary collaboration of a number of aboriginal leaders and socio-economic stakeholders.

The declaration seeks to acknowledge that problems of discrimination and racism exist in the municipality. It seeks to openly denounce violence in all forms and, finally, it expresses an intent to improve relations between the nations so that our peoples may live in peace and harmony.

In closing, with a view to a historic renewal, like Mr. Corbeil, I invite every Canadian municipality to join the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities against Racism and Discrimination. At this time of reconciliation, this is a gesture that deserves to be applauded and emulated.