Romeo Saganash

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 1st, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the government's record following the apology does not give a lot of hope. According to National Chief Bellegarde, “The relationship has not improved to the point where we can say reconciliation has started”.

Last year, the government spent hundreds of millions of dollars fighting aboriginal and treaty rights. That is not how to build a relationship.

Will the government work with aboriginal peoples to build a new relationship that is founded on respect and reconciliation?

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 29th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is a matter of respect, to never forget all of the children who did not return home.

My colleagues, my leader and I will be attending the closing events of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which start on Sunday. We will be there to hear from survivors and to hear the commission's findings.

My question is very simple. Will the Prime Minister make the first gesture of reconciliation? Will the Prime Minister be there?

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is so sad when someone starts to become more and more incompetent in a particular job.

There is yet another failed Conservative program. The first nations market housing fund was created eight years ago but has produced less than 1% of the 25,000 homes it was supposed to produce by 2018.

Is that the Conservatives' response to the housing crisis in aboriginal communities—an ineffective program that has done little more than finance one more bureaucracy?

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not even try to answer our questions in the House anymore.

Aboriginal communities deserve better than a minister who blames families for their children's performance and who responds that crime is the main cause of 1,200 missing or murdered women.

Frankly, instead of being part of the problem, could the minister at least try to be part of the solution?

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 15th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Canadians got to see first-hand how little the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs cared about his file. He was unable to answer very simple questions. Worse, when asked about the suicide rate in first nations communities and Inuit communities, he answered that it was not his responsibility. How could the minister be so heartless in the face of such an epidemic in our communities?

[Aboriginal Awareness Week, May 15th, 2015]

[Member spoke in Cree and provided the following translation:]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the upcoming Aboriginal Awareness Week, which takes place from May 19 to 22. This week was first introduced 23 years ago with the purpose of increasing awareness of aboriginal peoples within the federal public service.

Canada is built on treaties agreeing to share this land and live together for the benefit of all. Aboriginal Awareness Week is an opportunity for civil servants and all Canadians to renew the nation-to-nation relationships between indigenous and settler nations.

Therefore, in the spirit of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which urges everyone to build good relationships with aboriginal peoples and respect our inherent rights, I invite you to celebrate and respect the diverse cultures and traditions of the Métis, Inuit and first nation peoples of this land, during Aboriginal Awareness Week and every week.

[Business of Supply, May 13th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I would like to ask a question also on missing and murdered aboriginal women and the need for a national public inquiry on this. Does the minister think it is not possible to do the action plan and the inquiry at the same time. Does one preclude the other?

[Business of Supply, May 13th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I will come back to some of the questions I asked before. When the department and the government continue to fight aboriginal rights in the courts, does the minister think this is in keeping with the honour to the Crown and the goal of reconciliation in our country?

[Business of Supply, May 13th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, what funding, in total, does the department provide for these facilities?

[Business of Supply, May 13th, 2015]

The question was very simple, Mr. Chair. How many facilities offer second stage housing on reserve for indigenous women?