Evidence of meeting #13 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was urban.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sean Casey
Thank you, Ms. Redfern and Mr. Schmale.
Finally, Mr. Vaughan, go ahead, please, for five minutes.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Thanks very much.
I'm going to ask some quick questions, so I hope the answers are as quick as the questions.
On page 19 of the national housing strategy, we talk about the specific need for an urban, rural and northern housing strategy. That was when it was released, but in the interim—and this is to Mr. Sutherland—we have opened all programs. Under previous iterations of housing programs federally, indigenous groups were forbidden from applying to certain programs simply because of their indigenous status, whether on or off reserve.
You're aware that we have opened the co-investment fund, the rental housing market fund and the Canada housing benefit. All housing programs within the national housing strategy have been opened to indigenous groups to apply. Is that your experience?
Manager, Indigenous Caucus, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
Yes, that's correct.
I would only add that many members of our caucus have expressed concerns about the application times and processes for indigenous providers, as Ms. Redfern said.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
You would recommend a capacity-building component to an urban strategy to make sure that it's going to be urban-led and urban-delivered, and that the management structure also be supported through a program.
Manager, Indigenous Caucus, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
Sure, I would suggest not only the capacity piece but also designing the application processes, in part, with indigenous peoples at the same time.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
To Jeff Morrison, when the homelessness partnering strategy was transitioned to Reaching Home, are you aware that we added six new communities, a 10% increase, to the number of designated communities? It's the first time an increase had ever been financed as part of the program.
Executive Director, Canadian Housing and Renewal Association
Yes, and in no way, shape or form do we want to suggest that the government has done nothing on homelessness. I think the Reaching Home program and the reforms to it have been welcome.
To the earlier question about rural and remote, though, I think this is an opportunity to expand Reaching Home to some of those communities outside of the core 62, or whatever the number is now, to reach them.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Madeleine Redfern, the northern community was given a special carve-out that was separate and distinct from the rural community. Can you explain why it's so critical to make sure northern and rural communities are separated because of the unique governance structure of the territories?
January 28th, 2021 / 4:25 p.m.
President, Ajungi Arctic Consulting
Part of it is the unique governance structure, but also there is just the reality that you can't ship construction materials up here 365 days a year. There are some very unique challenges with respect to timelines that require way more flexibility for a project to be multi-year.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Would you support block funding over multiple years as opposed to project-by-project or year-by-year application funding?
President, Ajungi Arctic Consulting
I absolutely support multi-year funding. If that requires putting forward a five-year or 10-year plan or strategy that then gets updated, it is something that at least builds in some mutual accountability as to whether things are moving forward, and where and why they are not.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
Thank you.
Madam Johnston, in terms of Quebec, the Quebec housing model is designed by the National Assembly and the Quebec government. It's delivered by the Quebec government. It's the decision of to where to build housing, what kind of housing, who to build housing for and in fact who to house. Those decisions are all governed by the Quebec government the same way that the health accords for mental health and addiction services are also totally the jurisdiction of the Quebec government.
Is that right?
Executive Director, Projets Autochtones du Québec
Yes, that is correct, except under the Reaching Home funding there is an indigenous component that is still managed by the federal government.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
If that system is not addressing the needs of a very particular racial group in the province—and your testimony seems to suggest it does not—is that not the very definition of systemic racism?
Executive Director, Projets Autochtones du Québec
I feel like that's a bit of a loaded question.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
We've heard from Quebec leaders that there is no systemic racism in Quebec. I think we're seeing here in the housing sector that, without an intentional federal program and intentional federal goals set around indigenous housing in urban centres, we are subject to a system that has failed a racial group.
Executive Director, Projets Autochtones du Québec
I would just respond to that by saying that when there are these tensions between federal and provincial levels and when there are these complex systems, it's the community groups trying to provide housing, design housing projects and seek funding that suffer from those tensions and those complexities.
Liberal
Adam Vaughan Liberal Spadina—Fort York, ON
When the system fails a specific racial group in the province of Quebec, that is systemic racism, is it not?
Executive Director, Projets Autochtones du Québec
Yes. I think we only have to look at the case of Raphael Andre to see how systemic racism plays out in the lives of people.
Liberal
Liberal
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
That was a nice essay on systemic racism, Mr. Vaughan.
I will focus my questions on the subject of housing.
First, Ms. Johnston, thank you for your replies. It is my understanding that your organization needs different sources of funding to develop its services.
How might federal government programs contribute to the development of your organization?