One of the things I've spent most of my political career dealing with is the huge inequity faced by first nations children, particularly in the far north. Our greatest resource in this country isn't oil. It's not gold. It's not copper. It's this generation of indigenous children, and they've been failed at every single level.

I was very excited in 2017 when the government announced the indigenous early learning child care plan, yet we waited five years: In 2022 they announced a framework. I mean, five years is an enormous time in the life of a child. The communities I'm talking to are still waiting.

Why is this delay in place in communities where these children have greater needs, I would argue, than pretty much any other section of the country in terms of childhood education and opportunity?

9:50 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

I can address the piece about moving forward, because obviously the national school food program is inclusive. One of my counterparts, Minister Hajdu, is very much engaged in this work. There is a portion of funding that will absolutely be supporting indigenous populations and Inuit and Métis populations. That work will be moving forward as we negotiate the agreements that I mentioned—

9:50 a.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

I'm sorry. I'm talking about the early child care learning strategy that was announced. You waited five years to say there was a framework, and it's still not really out the door. That's what I'm concerned about.

9:50 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

My apologies: I thought you were on to the school food program.

With respect to the early learning and child care, yes, you are correct. We do have agreements in place and are working with the leadership—Métis, Inuit and indigenous leadership—on rolling that forward in the spirit of nothing for us without us.

The work does continue. We've seen some progress, undoubtedly, particularly, I think, to a recent—

9:50 a.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

I'm sorry, but what's the holdup? In any community I've ever been in, they're begging for this money. It doesn't sound like they're sitting around. The bureaucracy is holding it up. Why is it not getting out the door?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

I would suggest that it is getting out the door. Perhaps it is not as fast as we would all like it to happen, but it is moving. The conversations are ongoing. We have strong relationships with the indigenous leaders and Métis and Inuit as well.

Most recently, one of the big challenges, I would suggest, is infrastructure and building new centres, whether that be an entire new centre and the infrastructure dollars required for that, or looking to license home centres as well. We do have progress on that front with respect to infrastructure agreements to have funding rolling specifically to fund new builds, and that work continues collaboratively.

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you.

Now we have Ms. Gray for five minutes.

I just want to remind you again—I'll hold all the members to the same standards—to direct your questions through me, the chair.

Ms. Gray.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Through you, to the Minister, thank you for being here.

Illicit drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among youth in British Columbia aged 10 to 18, according to figures by the BC Coroners Service. This is obviously heartbreaking.

As the minister for families and children, have you spoken up in your Liberal cabinet against the failed drug policy experiment your government approved of in British Columbia?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Through the chair, thank you for the question.

I'm not going to disclose cabinet conversations for obvious reasons and, respectfully, I'm here to speak about items within my portfolio and estimates today.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Well, Minister, in your opening statement as the minister for families and children, you talked about policies that make life better for families in Canada, so my questions are quite relevant.

Have you been pushing back to ensure your government rejects support for illicit drug legalization in Toronto and Montreal?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Thank you.

Through the chair, as my colleague would know, Minister Saks has been leading on this file very well from my perspective. We've heard from her a number of times, both in the House and throughout, and I think I'll continue to rely on her leadership as we move this forward.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Thank you, Minister.

Through the chair, if any province requests what B.C. did with respect to the legalization and open use of illicit drugs like fentanyl and crack, would you, as the minister of families and children, support that?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Thank you very much.

Again, through the chair, I appreciate the question.

Again, I will refer to the fact that this is work that is being led not by me, but by Minister Saks. I'm not going to disclose cabinet conversations—again, for obvious reasons.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Minister, you're the minister for children.

You're the minister for children, so do you agree that open drug use in public spaces is dangerous for families and children and that your government should never have allowed it? Will you commit today to never allow it again in another province or area?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Thank you very much.

Through the chair again, I appreciate the advocacy of my colleague here. I am here to speak about my file, about estimates. Minister Saks continues to lead when it comes to this issue.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Minister, you are the minister for families and children, so are you saying that you do not speak up for families and children within your caucus, within your cabinet?

I'll give you an example here. The RCMP in Campbell River, B.C. and in Prince George, B.C. seized thousands of prescription drug pills, many of which were diverted from the B.C. government's safe supply program. Global News did an investigation where, within half an hour in Vancouver, the journalist acquired nearly 20 tablets of hydromorphone. The Vancouver Police deputy chief told Parliament last month that your government-funded hard drugs were ending up on the black market.

As the minister for children, have you taken any action on this government-supplied illicit drug diversion to protect children?

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

I would caution committee members of Standing Order 11(2) on relevancy to the matter before the committee. The committee is studying the supplementary estimates.

Madam Minister, it's your discretion.

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

I feel that I've already answered this question, Chair. Thank you.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Minister, you are the minister for families and children, and to be pushing this off is really unfortunate. You are the minister for families and children.

10 a.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

I have a point of order, Chair.

10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Ms. Gray, we have a point of order.

10 a.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

On a point of order, Chair, you just referenced a standing order. These matters can be raised at committee, but it has to be the relevant committee.

10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey

Thank you, Mr. Fragiskatos.

Ms. Gray, I will again remind you of Standing Order 11(2) and the relevancy of the subject matter before the committee.

10 a.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You know, I'll let the minister know—I'm almost out of time here—that I speak to students in schools in my community quite often. In fact, I've spoken to six classes in the last six months. One class project occurred where the teacher had students write to me questions about the most important things to them. Do you know what the top two items were? Equal as number one were crime and drugs and affordability. After nine years of your government and you as minister of families and children, this is your legacy, isn't it?

10 a.m.

Liberal

Jenna Sudds Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

I'm not sure what the question is, but I will agree when it comes to affordability. I will point to our Canada child benefit, providing families up to $7,000 each and every year per child to support them in raising their young families. I will point to a national child care system that is achieving 50% savings in every province and territory and $10 a day in eight. These are thousands of dollars each and every month that families are saving, and that translates to better outcomes for their children and more dollars left at the end of the day, whether that's for extra food or the new pair of shoes we know our kids need every other month. That's affordability. Those are the measures that we are taking.