Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on April 28th, 2008

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to meeting number 26 of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Today we are doing something a little different. As members know, we were dealing with Bill C-30 before the break, and we'll continue later this week with our clause-by-clause deliberations. But today we're taking the time to hear from some folks regarding the National Aboriginal Women's Summit.

As some of you will remember, last fall we decided we wanted to get a report and to hear some information on what had taken place at that meeting. I'm therefore delighted to have a number of witnesses here today.

First we'll be hearing from the Native Women's Association of Canada, followed by the Métis National Council, followed by the Assembly of First Nations, and last but not least, the National Association of Friendship Centres.

To our witnesses here today, I will ask you to make an introductory presentation of five to ten minutes. Following that, we will have questions from members of the committee.

First I'd like to welcome Claudette Dumont-Smith, acting executive director of the Native Women's Association of Canada. You have five to ten minutes.

[Claudette Dumont-Smith, Acting Executive Director, Native Women's Association of Canada]

Thank you. Kwekwe. Hello, bonjour.

As Mr. Devolin said, my name is Claudette Dumont-Smith. I'm Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi community, a community that is located 90 miles directly north of here.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this committee on this important topic. Unfortunately, Beverley Jacobs, our president, could not be here today to give this presentation. She's out of the country, attending another meeting.

I'd like to begin by telling you about the Native Women's Association of Canada. It is a nationally representative political organization made up of 13 provincial-territorial member associations, which we identify as PTMAs. Our collective goal is to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural, and political well-being of aboriginal women within first nations, Métis, and Canadian societies. The aim of NWAC is to ensure that the unique needs of aboriginal women are addressed throughout all processes at the national level. Empowering aboriginal women by facilitating their participation in legislative and policy reforms promotes equal opportunity, and ensures that the use of culturally relevant gender-based approaches results in a more balanced, holistic approach to the issues under consideration.

From June 20 to 22, 2007, the first National Aboriginal Women's Summit, NAWS 1, was held in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. From NWAC's perspective, this was an historic event, one that directly resulted from NWAC's earlier efforts at the first ministers meeting in Kelowna in 2005. At the FMM, NWAC's goal was to close the gap that then existed in terms of the lack of attention to aboriginal women's issues on the part of all levels of government. While NWAC was not able to achieve the full inclusion at the FMM that was hoped for and expected, we are pleased that such events as NAWS show how we are making progress--however slow and incremental--toward our goals of achieving recognition and inclusion of aboriginal women in these national processes.

NWAC was honoured and pleased to co-host NAWS 1. NWAC believes in promoting and facilitating unity among aboriginal women, which is why we ensured the participation of all national aboriginal organizations and other relevant parties such as the National Aboriginal Circle Against Family Violence and the National Association of Friendship Centres.

As a result, the summit was attended by more than 300 individuals, including aboriginal women from across Canada who represented a variety of aboriginal and women's organizations, as well as political leaders and government staff from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and aboriginal representative organizations and nations.

This first summit presented the opportunity for aboriginal women to explore issues together and make recommendations to move these issues forward. The title for NAWS 1 was “Strong Women, Strong Communities”. The agenda was divided into three sub-themes: health, safety, and wellness; equality and empowerment; and strength, balance, and honour.

There were several key outcomes of the summit. The first key outcome was the consensus on necessary actions and the recommendations that were developed over the three days by the participants. These recommendations ranged from broad principles that should underpin all future action to specific actions to be taken to improve the participation and inclusion of aboriginal women in policy and decision-making processes and to improve the social, economic, political, cultural, and personal well-being of aboriginal women.

The participants clearly endorsed their organizations and leadership. They reminded us that the term “aboriginal” includes Métis, Inuit, first nations, status, and non-status individuals, inclusively and equally, as well as other organizations that represent them. In all three thematic areas, participants clearly recommended that aboriginal women must be engaged and actively participating in leadership and at all decision-making tables so that they are well served in all legislative, policy, and programming initiatives. They recommended that culturally relevant gender-based analysis be consistently and constantly used when making these decisions.

Other recommendations addressed economic development, education, addressing the special needs of youth and elders, improved health care, the elimination of violence against women, the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the revitalization and ongoing maintenance of aboriginal languages and cultures.

In addition to the recommendations resulting from this summit, a second key outcome was the clear building of momentum over the three days of the summit. On the final day, several provinces and territories indicated their willingness to host a subsequent National Aboriginal Women's Summit. This has resulted in the planning currently under way for NAWS 2, which will be held July 29 to 31, 2008, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. NWAC and the Northwest Territorial government are currently co-chairing the committees that are organizing and planning NAWS 2. NAWS 3 will be held in Manitoba in 2009.

A third outcome of the summit was the organization of conferences or summits at the provincial and territorial level. In some provinces and territories, aboriginal women held meetings in advance of NAWS 1 to discuss issues and develop local and regional positions to take forward to the summit. Following NAWS 1, aboriginal women have met to review the recommendations and action plans developed at NAWS in order to prepare local and provincial-territorial approaches to implementing these measures. For example, the Yukon Aboriginal Women's Summit was held in Watson Lake and Whitehorse in November 2007. Yukon women who attended the summit reviewed the outcomes of NAWS 1 and developed recommendations and action plans specifically for their territory, the Yukon.

Why has NAWS 1 been so successful? From the perspective of aboriginal women, NAWS 1 provided an opportunity to view issues on a broad and national scale and to come to agreement on next steps. It enabled aboriginal women from across Canada to get on the same page in terms of information, approaches, understanding, and plans for the future. It provided aboriginal women with the opportunity to respond to a common set of issues and challenges, and to develop an approach that each can use when dealing with the same partners--that is, the various departments of the federal government.

The discussions at the summit reminded aboriginal women that they are not working in isolation on these sometimes overwhelming problems and that there are commonalities to the experiences and issues they face every day. Although there are some regional differences that were identified, the women were reminded that they face common issues, common difficulties, and can find strength, understanding, and assistance from one another to deal with them.

NAWS 1 provided an opportunity for aboriginal women to remind the leadership, both the political and organizational leadership, in government at all levels that women are important, that they must be a part of all processes and decisions, and that their views, issues, needs, and concerns must be taken into account.

NAWS 1 provided the participating governments with a clear indication of current thinking, issues, problems, and preferred approaches of aboriginal women in all parts of the country. To the extent that aboriginal women are able to develop common goals, priorities, and approaches, this will benefit the federal, provincial, territorial, and aboriginal governments who must respond to these needs.

What do we need to build on the success of this first summit?

In terms of lessons learned, we need to ensure that subsequent summits are relevant and continue to build on the work done at the first NAWS. This has already been undertaken, as the organizers for NAWS 2 work to ensure that the agenda moves forward from recommendations to action and reporting on results.

We need to ensure that there is sufficient funding to keep future NAWS active and relevant. We need to ensure that there is adequate support so that inadequate resources do not cause them to fail.

The costs that need to be covered include: the costs associated with attending future summits for the delegates and representatives from women's and aboriginal organizations; the costs associated with developing and organizing NAWS for NWAC and other national aboriginal organizations that participate in this work; the costs associated with co-chairing NAWS for NWAC; and the costs associated with implementing and advancing the NAWS agenda in between sessions for NWAC and other NAOs and women's organizations. This is an area that is particularly lacking at the moment, especially as women's and aboriginal organizations see their core funding cut and their project funding restricted.

NWAC has been consistently urging that all policy and program changes must respect the distinct cultures, traditions, and languages of aboriginal peoples. These traditions include equal respect for women.

It is not enough to consider or analyze the implications of policy decisions on aboriginal women without our direct participation. We must include the voices of aboriginal women and their representatives in these processes as we move forward and target this segment of the aboriginal population for positive change. It is our firm belief that when aboriginal women are safe and healthy, their children, families, communities, and nations will also be healthy. This message was confirmed and validated at the National Aboriginal Women's Summit in Corner Brook last year.

We look forward to the advances that NAWS 2 will bring. We believe that the measures contained in the recommendations developed at the first NAWS, which will be further refined and implemented as a result of subsequent summits, are an important step toward our goal of empowering and advancing the equality of aboriginal women.

Thank you. Meegwetch. Merci.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you very much.

Next we will hear from Rosemarie McPherson, spokesperson for Women of the Métis Nation.

Ms. McPherson, you have five to ten minutes.

[Rosemarie McPherson, Spokesperson for Women of the Métis Nation, Métis National Council]

[Witness speaks in her native language]

I will repeat what I said. I said, “Thank you very much for inviting me.”

My name is Rosemarie McPherson. I am the spokesperson for Women of the Métis Nation. I reside in Dauphin and live in Dauphin. My real job is as an aboriginal court worker. This is my volunteer position, and today I sure didn't mind taking two days off from my paying job to be here for this important occasion.

I am honoured to have this opportunity to present on behalf of the Women of the Métis Nation of Canada--Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak du Canada--and to bring forward the perspective of Métis women in relation to the outcomes of the National Aboriginal Women's Summit in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

If some people are wondering what Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak means, it means, “We, the Métis women, are in control of our destiny”. That's what it means.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Government of Canada for inviting Métis women to participate as witnesses in these important proceedings. In fact, we believe it is one of the examples of the important outcomes that we bring from the National Aboriginal Women's Summit. Women of the Métis Nation believe it is important that all aboriginal women from Canada come together to work with all governments provincially and federally and work together in partnership to address the ongoing priorities and issues for aboriginal women across Canada.

We also believe that an important element that came from the National Aboriginal Women's Summit is for Women of the Métis Nation to speak on behalf of Métis women from across the Métis homeland, because some of the priorities and issues that concern Métis women are unique to their circumstances and differ from the issues facing other aboriginal women in Canada. We were able to identify that there are issues that we work collectively with and that are of common interest to all aboriginal women in Canada, but acknowledging our uniqueness would help us to support each other in addressing and overcoming issues of our past.

I wish to briefly provide the committee with an overview of the National Aboriginal Women's Summit from the perspective of Women of the Métis Nation of Canada, but before I do that, I wish to share with you who we are--we, the Women of the Métis Nation, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak du Canada.

The Women of the Métis Nation is made up of representatives from each province within the Métis homeland. Specifically, Métis women from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario elect 50 Métis women to represent and advocate for their needs and move forward their agenda at a national level.

A national spokesperson is elected, along with five Métis women from each of the five provinces, to make up the national board to monitor the day-to-day operations of our agency and meet the directives set forth by the assembly and then report back to an annual general assembly. Métis women representatives from the five regions attend Women of the Métis Nation's annual general assembly in order to ensure a sound reflection from the grassroots community level.

There are various levels of development within each of the Métis women's provincial organizations. Each organization works to develop capacity and continues to bring forward the priorities and issues facing Métis women from the community and provincial perspective.

Women of the Métis Nation work collectively with the Métis National Council, and they are directly accountable to the grassroots community. To further support and continue accountability, we have included tasks and priorities within our operations ensuring the continuance of making sure that every Métis woman from across the homeland can access and understand the role of Women of the Métis Nation and how it impacts them directly at the community and individual level.

The National Aboriginal Women's Summit was a unique and historic meeting. It brought together the three constitutionally recognized nations to work together with all levels of government in Canada, with the National Aboriginal Organization in the driver's seat.

Preparation of this important event brought the brightest minds and ideas from our communities together to share success stories and problems that affect us as individual women, as families, and as an entire community. The Women of the Métis Nation at the 2006 annual assembly worked together to identify several issues of importance to them.

They are as follows: holistic health and wellness approaches for Métis women; developing Métis women's economy and investment strategies; improvising life-long learning supports; early learning and childhood initiatives, including supports during kindergarten to grade 12 schooling; support for post-secondary education; workplace education and training supports; supporting Métis traditional knowledge and the traditional role of Métis women as the keepers of the culture; and addressing issues of violence within our communities.

The National Aboriginal Women's Summit confirmed Métis women's intuitions and set a path towards restoring Métis women's lives as leaders of equality and honour. The summit presented the opportunity to narrow and fine-tune these ideas into a cohesive and collective approach, with a momentum stemming from the energies of indigenous women of Canada.

In anticipation of the summit, the Women of the Métis Nation created four policy papers: a policy paper on violence against Métis women; a health policy paper; an education policy paper; and a traditional knowledge policy paper.

These policy papers were the starting point and provided a snapshot of critical concerns set forth by the planning committee that allowed for discussions at the summit. The nation-specific papers created understanding of the issues of each of the three nations, with an understanding and commitment to move forward towards a path of peace, health, safety, and prosperity for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

The greatest promise of success is the continuance of this summit. At the summit I stated that the national aboriginal women's organizations meet annually to share success stories, and that in five years we've come together with the various levels of government to share a report card on what we have achieved. We believe that continuing to build this relationship will benefit aboriginal women for generations to come.

As the “first ladies” in Canada, Métis women want to be included at the table for the discussions and work that directly impact them. We also are working to build the capacity to work on the data collection necessary to continue to measure the success of the work that we do--as an organization and collectively with our partners that are created through the National Aboriginal Women's Summit.

The National Aboriginal Women's Summit is one of many important opportunities to underscore and highlight the many issues and concerns important to us. The Métis culture is as colourful as its beadwork, and for it to stay that way, we need a voice.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your time and close with final words in my language.

[Witness speaks in her native language]

Merci, thank you. Meegwetch.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you very much, Ms. McPherson.

Next we will hear from Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald, the Ontario regional representative of the Assembly of First Nations Women's Council.

Ms. Archibald.

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Ontario Regional Representative, AFN Women's Council, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Assembly of First Nations]

[Witness speaks in her native language]

I am a deputy grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation and am representing the Assembly of First Nations Women's Council today.

First of all, I'd like to thank the committee for inviting me here today on behalf of the Assembly of First Nations Women's Council. The role of the AFN Women's Council is to ensure that first nations women's perspectives are included in all AFN policy directives and that the AFN is an effective advocate on behalf of all first nations women, on and off reserve, regardless of their status.

I am pleased to update your committee on the outcomes of the first National Aboriginal Women's Summit, or NAWS. I will also speak about plans for the second summit, which will be held in July 2008 in Yellowknife. As I have limited time to present today, I will focus on two key themes for NAWS: respect and safety for our first nations women, and the need for a culturally relevant gender-balanced analysis, or as we call it at the AFN, GBA.

The AFN is asking that the federal government provide sustainable funding and resources to be adequately engaged in the NAWS planning process, including sustainable funding to continue to address the summit's priorities and actions on the recommendations, such as gender mainstreaming and family healing.

On the issue of family healing, in our NAWS 1 report the AFN recommended the establishment of a family law legal aid fund, as well as video court for remote communities. These mechanisms can help our women access justice in a timely fashion. We are also recommending community-based prevention and treatment programs and the expansion of first nations women's shelters and healing lodges.

Last year the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women announced a one-time investment of $6 million to help meet the needs of existing shelters and to help first nation communities improve family healing programs. We applaud this announcement; however, additional investment is needed. There are only 35 shelters to serve 633 first nations across Canada. In addition, we have many citizens who live off-reserve.

We have heard from too many families who need and want help. Women and children are still turned away from shelters because more space is required. Healing services for our brothers, our men, which can promote respect for women and family healing, are also needed.

Our research on family healing shows that women's access to jobs, prosperity, and independence are often key issues to promoting self-respect and family healing. Training, education, and employment programs that specifically target first nations women can mutually benefit Canada and first nations. The programs would help Canada fill its gap in skilled labour and would increase women's independence, and women would not only have the means to seek help but would also have an increased sense of their value and self-worth.

A gender lens should be applied to employment programs to identify, facilitate, and improve access for first nations women to enter the workforce. A first step in identifying and improving access leads me to my second topic, the need for a culturally relevant gender-balanced analysis, or GBA.

It is true that in 1995 the federal plan for gender equality committed all federal departments and agencies to implement gender-based analysis in all policies and legislation. However, it has become clear to first nations women that we need and want a first nations-specific approach to analyzing laws and policies.

First nations women face unique circumstances when addressing family healing: remoteness, a desire and need for safe housing, and securing viable child care. We're also concerned about the continued inequity under the Indian Act, specifically from the 1985 amendment known as Bill C-31, whose intent was to restore women's and children's citizenship, but which in actual fact has prevented them from accessing much-needed services.

First nations want to restore the traditional balance that existed between our men and women before the Indian Act, before colonialization, so that the many devastating changes we have been forced to undertake can be undone. We are in fact still in the process of reversing those devastating changes.

For these reasons, the AFN Women's Council developed a culturally relevant GBA that was endorsed by the chiefs and assembly in May 2007. Developing and implementing culturally relevant GBAs will be a key issue at NAWS. We want all government departments and parliamentary committees to ensure our GBA is applied to work affecting first nations people. We have started working with departments like Health Canada to implement our GBA framework and we are hoping that NAWS 2 will lead to a detailed implementation plan. We are asking that your committee take a lead in implementing our GBA. We need and want Parliament to begin seriously examining its laws with a cultural and gender lens to ensure that the work you do truly advances the rights of first nations women and makes positive changes in our daily lives.

I have spoken briefly about Bill C-31, and that's just one example of how our women and children continue to pay a high price for past mistakes. We're also concerned about recent steps to correct some of the historic injustices imposed by the Indian Act--and I'm speaking specifically about matrimonial real property, the bill, or as we call it, MRP.

First nation women chiefs and councillors from all across Canada gathered in unity at the AFN forum for first nation women chiefs in Vancouver, B.C., on February 12 to 14, 2007. At that time we identified a number of problems with the bill. We are aware that it has been redrafted since then, yet it is still very much a made-in-Ottawa bill. We're not convinced that the bill, as it stands, is going to help first nations women access justice.

As part of our work at NAWS 2 we will be applying our GBA to the MRP bill in hopes that it can help Parliament better understand how to fix the bill and gain the support of first nations women. It is not too late to do the right thing. Applying a GBA should never replace consultation, but it's one tool we can use to ensure first nations women's rights are respected and upheld. At the February meeting of women chiefs and councillors, as I mentioned earlier, women leaders also expressed their overwhelming concern with the current situation facing first nation communities, families, and children. A consensus statement was made that represents the unanimous voice of women chiefs and councillors present at the forum to address critical issues affecting our first nations, our families, and our future. We want to compel change and make progress.

I wish to reiterate some of the highlights of their statement.

First nation women chiefs and councillors honour the spirit and intent of the original relationship between first nations and the British crown to live in peaceful co-existence without interference and to uphold the unceded inherent authorities given to us by the Creator. We maintain our authority to be the lawmakers and caretakers of our nations, our families, and our lands. First nation holistic laws will continue to guide our decision-making in the face of any and all federal, provincial, and territorial legislation. Our collective inherent and treaty rights must be respected in the development of federal, provincial, and territorial law and policy. First nation women chiefs and councillors will stand with first nations governments to advance a comprehensive plan for accountability of all governments and the protection of collective rights.

First nation women chiefs and councillors will ensure that our lands, families, and children are cared for. We will ensure that our rights are respected and upheld and we will be responsible for the decisions that affect our lives. Solutions can be achieved locally, regionally, and nationally by working collectively. First nation women chiefs and councillors call upon the Government of Canada to work together with first nation governments to co-create a new future for all our people. We will accomplish this through collective efforts that support systemic change.

Kitchi megwetch for your time. I look forward to your questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you very much, Deputy Grand Chief Archibald.

Next we'll hear from Peter Dinsdale, executive director of the National Association of Friendship Centres.

[Peter Dinsdale, Executive Director, National Association of Friendship Centres]

Thank you very much.

Good afternoon, Chair, honourable members, fellow witnesses, and guests.

First I want to apologize for our president Vera Pawis Tabobondung, who is unable to be with you today. She wanted me to send her regrets for not being able to make it. We're on our way to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. We've been provided a remarkable opportunity to address the assembly during their half-day session on urban migration issues. Internationally it's a great opportunity for us to highlight the work that friendship centres do. We're in transit, so I'm here in her place. I hope we'll be able to serve her well in that regard.

The National Association of Friendship Centres welcomes the opportunity to provide our comments, our recommendations, and our reflections on NAWS in relation to the National Aboriginal Women's Summit held in June 2007, and we certainly look forward to suggesting action for NAWS 2008.

During the summit in 2007 we made some recommendations, and those recommendations still hold true today.

We recommended that an action plan be articulated in the summit specific to aboriginal women, which addresses legislation, policy, programs, services, and clarifies federal, provincial, and territorial responsibilities.

We recommended that gender-specific services be made readily available and accessible, regardless of where aboriginal women live.

Furthermore, we recommended that friendship centres require a commitment to capacity-building in order to address the challenges that we're seeing.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we recommended that a strategy addressing poverty be developed that includes, broadly speaking, literacy, lifelong learning, early childhood development, and post-secondary education, income, and employment.

Aboriginal women living in urban centres in Canada are at risk for experiencing increased health disparities. I'm sure you're all aware of this. Socio-economic indicators continually reflect the disparities in health status and well-being for urban-dwelling aboriginal women, including lower life expectancies, higher incidence of victimization and violence, lower rates of employment and income, and increased likelihood for living in inadequate housing and having improper health services.

Friendship centres across Canada continue to provide culturally relevant programs and services to aboriginal peoples living in urban centres. As a result, we believe friendship centres are in a unique position to ensure that programs and services are designed to meet the existing needs of aboriginal women and to develop strategies and costing looking forward.

In many centres friendship centres are not only the first point of contact for aboriginal women, they're the only point of contact for aboriginal women. There may be no other federal government service or no other aboriginal service available at all. We play a crucial role in facilitating the transition for aboriginal peoples from rural and remote community life into an urban standard of living. As a result, our role continues to be focused on programs and service coordination. We are clearly not a representative body. I'm not going to tell you I represent any segment of the aboriginal population. We simply aim to provide services to all of them who come through our doors. We play a key role as the only organization providing urban aboriginal service-delivery infrastructure on a national basis.

Publicly in this forum we want to take this opportunity to commend the Native Women's Association of Canada for the tireless efforts in leading and hosting the National Aboriginal Women's Summit in such a difficult political environment.

The NAFC welcomed the strong commitment and support shown by Premier Danny Williams of Newfoundland; Premier Gordon Campbell, from British Columbia; and Premier Paul Okalik, from the Government of Nunavut. Despite the federal government's lack of commitment to the Kelowna process, this commitment was kept, and no doubt as a result of NWAC's efforts.

The NAFC was pleased with the respectful and courteous treatment received by our entire delegation while in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Our president Vera was shown and afforded respect, including equal opportunity to be fully engaged, as was the other aboriginal leadership. While we were disappointed that the federal, provincial, and territorial governments did not come forward with significant investments, as was originally conceived, we understand that the political climate changed and a dampening of expectations happened as a result.

It will be critical that the National Aboriginal Women's Summit 2008 have some concrete deliverables attached to it or the process risks losing its legitimacy. We value our working relationship with NWAC and the relationship we have with and our involvement in NAWS. It's our hope, through these efforts, that we'll see a positive change in urban aboriginal communities across Canada.

We have read the final report of the summit of the first NAWS and we note the absence of any significant measures directed to the urban aboriginal community. Although there were references to “inclusion”, “off-reserve”, and “urban” buried within the text, it has been our experience that if we don't specifically say “off-reserve”, “urban”, and “friendship centres”.... It must clearly stand as markers for significant change or little will happen.

We are clearly disappointed in the absence of any specific friendship centre direction and will certainly be looking for that to be remedied in future NAW summits.

All among us are keenly aware that nothing happens in the absence of specific and clear direction. This is the reason we provide reasoned and balanced recommendations that reflect the friendship centres approach. Specifically, leading forward, we recommend the following:

First, secure a commitment from federal, provincial, and territorial governments for deliverables at the meeting. This wasn't achieved in the first NAW summit, and we believe some of the outcomes could have been stronger had it been.

Second, provide policy support for the national aboriginal organizations that are engaged in the process, to prepare in equal measure.

And third, provide a final report in a timely manner to ensure that targets, timetables, and costing can be clearly articulated.

We certainly welcome the opportunity to present to this committee and we certainly encourage its deliberations. We again congratulate the Native Women’s Association of Canada for their excellent work in the NAW summit and the governments for supporting it, and we hope to expand and continue that work moving forward.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you very much, Mr. Dinsdale.

We will begin our first round of questioning with seven minutes per person, starting with Mr. Roger Valley from the Liberal Party.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you to the presenters for coming and giving us an update on what was a very successful summit.

First, I'd like to clear up one thing. I think you all thanked the government. I believe it's this committee that brought you here. It's 12 members of Parliament who sit around this table trying to do as much non-partisan work as they can to make sure that the message is heard. Occasionally I get a chance to substitute in, and I'm very happy to do that today.

My questions are going to be for Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald.

Welcome again to Ottawa. I saw you a couple of months ago.

She serves in the same great area that I do, although not in my riding. I guess she represents part of it, being the deputy grand chief.

I would like to ask a question. We heard over and over again about some of the costs that are involved and how to get people at the grassroots. I think all presenters touched on the point that if it's not from the bottom, if it's not from the grassroots, it's not going to be successful.

We've had one summit on the east coast, the next one will be up in Yellowknife, and after that it will be in the centre of Canada.

How do we make sure that the people on the street in some of the very communities you serve—I believe you serve 49 communities, some of the most remote sites in Canada, probably—the women on the streets of North Spirit, or North Caribou, or Muskrat Dam, are part of the process, and how do they bring their ideas to you, with the challenge of funding that they're under?

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

Thank you for your question.

As we all know, NAWS is a strategic kind of forum, so it doesn't really involve those kinds of processes. But in terms of recommendations, I think we talked about a further investment in this process. For us, we have to really make those connections to women's councils that are regional and local. That does take resources, and I do ask the committee to consider that, because that's a key part of actually getting grassroots kinds of views at that larger level. We have to look at the mechanisms of how we build that system so that we actually know that the NAWS is more than just a series of meetings where leaders gather to look at strategic issues.

So I don't have a specific plan, but an investment from government would be very helpful.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

When you have to report back to the AFN for Ontario, you also have to go back to your communities. And was I right? Is it 49 communities you represent?

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

Yes, 49 communities.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

I have the honour of serving 41 communities, and there are some different treaties involved: Treaty 5 and Treaty 3.

I'm going to go to the fact that has been talked about, that women on reserve have issues, and women who go off reserve have issues. You mentioned the shelter situation. I can clearly relate to Red Lake. They're out of their communities due to complications. They have to make sure they're safe. They go to Red Lake. They're in the shelter, which doesn't have second-stage housing. It happens in many places across Canada. They're forced back into a difficult situation.

At NAWS, how is that issue talked about? Give us some idea of the scenario that's laid out. How do we deal with issues on reserve and off reserve, and how do we make sure it serves the clients you represent?

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

I'm sorry, Roger, I'm not clear on the first part of your question.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

You mentioned the challenges we face serving women on reserve when they go off reserve from a remote site when they're used to a very small community. We have communities that number over 2,000 and communities that number 200 that both you and I represent. How do they deal with the issue when they're used to the life on reserve? How do we make recommendations when NAWS has that information in your first summit?

You're going into your second summit pretty soon. How do you make it work so that this clientele is represented? Is NAWS broken down into different committees? Tell us what happens at the meetings.

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

In terms of how you address the women, I don't know if NAWS is that kind of forum for us. In terms of looking at the issue of shelters, for example, those shelters and that $6 million, we have one in our area, out of 49.

Ultimately my recommendation is that instead of this committee asking us to come and address you as NAWS, you look at a subcommittee process on women's issues and first nations women's issues, because we've always said in the NAN territory that women are the agents of positive social change in their communities. When government invests in women, there may be a different kind of payback than if the government invests in housing. We can actually begin to see social change. Women are the ones who really demand those kinds of additional resources and programs and can identify at their level what the solutions are. So that would be my recommendation, outside of NAWS.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Dinsdale, you talked about the first point of contact in many communities being the friendship centres, and more so nowadays than it was even a few short years ago. The friendship centres are the only front line. It's exactly the case in my riding and I'm sure in many ridings throughout Canada.

You mentioned that you want to see some—and I forget the term you used—concrete, actionable results out of NAWS 2. Do you want to elaborate a little more? Do you want to actually use an example?

[Peter Dinsdale]

Absolutely.

At the risk of taking an organizational approach, because that really wasn't our intention here today, to talk about broader outcomes, one of our frustrations with the outcomes of the first NAWS summit is that there hasn't been a specific action plan developed. We had some target areas of work around some of the areas we articulated here, but we haven't really got to the time where we can start developing specific steps in terms of knocking things down, that we've done work in this area and now we're going to turn and work on this area. In part, it's the many jurisdictions at the table, but in part it's a mindset coming in at the outset to say this is how we intend to approach it.

The kind of coordination function we think is critical speaks directly to your riding. I was employed at the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres when we developed the only shelter in Red Lake. There were none at the time. They were staying in an abandoned train car right by the lake. They actually brought it up, developed a shelter, and had supports there.

The challenge is that was a federal government program. We need provincial governments to be engaged in terms of the other programs that are going to take place in that and where those people who come to that shelter are going to go; and secondly, that municipalities pick up the per diem contracts to pay for those beds to keep the shelters going. It's a multi-jurisdictional approach that needs to occur. Summits like NAWS can help achieve that only if people, at the outset, address some of those jurisdictional challenges and get an action plan to break some of those barriers down.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you, Mr. Valley and Mr. Dinsdale.

You have seven minutes, Mr. Lemay.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I have to admit, ladies and gentlemen, that I am very skeptical about so-called national summits. I attended one such summit in Quebec, specifically in Mashteuiatsh near Roberval a year and a half ago. Not much happened at this gathering, which cost $100,000. I am not the least bit interested in finding out how much your summit is costing. I have a much more specific question for you.

I want all of the witnesses who are here today to know that I have a tremendous amount of respect for the work they do in defending the rights of women in and outside the community, in cities and so forth. However, what steps do you take to ensure that your recommendations are acted upon? Putting it another way, how do you ensure that a recommendation made in Corner Brook translates into dollars, programs and aid for women? That is my first question.

I also have a second question and then I will let you have the four minutes remaining to respond. How do you make sure that you are consulted? I am not talking here about someone seeking your advice, like in the case of a Supreme Court ruling, but about having meetings and discussions with other parties.

The best example I can give you is Bill C-47, An Act respecting family homes situated on First Nation reserves and matrimonial interests or rights in or to structures and lands situated on those reserves. How can women be assured of having their voice heard when such important pieces of legislation are tabled? Are your informed of these initiatives and consulted, and if so, in what way? Are chiefs misogynists? How does the process work? I want to know what problems you encountered so that we can help you.

I will turn the floor over to you for the time remaining. Good luck.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

I'll begin with Ms. Dumont-Smith.

[Claudette Dumont-Smith]

Speaking for the Native Women's Association of Canada, we did present to the Senate on Bill C-47. We spoke to the Senate a couple of weeks ago. So yes, we were heard. Our views were heard at that level, anyway.

Your first question was about how we ensure that action is taken when we make recommendations at this summit. Well, I'll tell you that there was not too much action taken after NAWS 1. However, NWAC met with Health Canada, and we'll be meeting with other departments, as well. Before we embark upon addressing additional issues at NAWS 2, we want to make sure that some type of action will be taken on the issues brought up at NAWS 1, because we didn't address them all at NAWS 1. That's where we're at.

I can give you a better example. There were 137 recommendations brought up by the women at NAWS 1. That's a lot of recommendations. It was sifted down to 59. Again it was too many, so they came up with 29 recommendations under the three themes. They broke them up. For example, under health, there are six. Of the six, they talk a lot about violence. Violence against women has been brought up. Yes, what we need are resources for more family violence initiatives. Has that happened? I don't think so. I'm hoping that at NAWS 2 we'll be able to see what has been happening at the provincial-territorial level and with aboriginal organizations. So to totally respond to that question, I can't.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you.

Ms. McPherson, did you have something to say?

[Rosemarie McPherson]

For Women of the Métis Nation, I guess it's a little different. Most of us who belong to our organization are all volunteers. When we put our weekends together, giving up our weekends so that we can prepare policy papers and stuff like that, we don't do it lightly. We do it from here, where it counts.

Most of us speak to our people in our communities. One of the things that kind of disturb me--I'm glad you raised this question--is with regard to a lot of the work we did in those policy papers, and the recommendations. When I look at the report we got back, I'm disheartened a little bit. I'm hoping that NAWS 2 will make a difference. Most of the recommendations are all geared to first nations. No offence, but we're here. The Métis are not going to go away. We're here.

To me, NAWS also allows the Métis to be present, be known, be visible, to make a presentation. That's what NAWS is doing for us at this time. That's what it did, NAWS 1, and with NAWS 2, hopefully now they will know we are here. We're hoping that our recommendations will be looked at a little bit harder. If we had six recommendations and even one were taken, we'd be so honoured.

We're not asking for much. We're just saying we're here. We're not going to go away, so one of these days we're going to be listened to.

You also asked about Bill C-47. The only information the Métis have on stuff like that comes through our first nations relatives, our cousins. We're hoping that the standing committee will pass the bill to ensure that women are being looked after and that they don't lose any marital property rights any more. I think that's what the bill is about. But as far as the bill affecting Métis women, it really doesn't. We only know about it because we come from the best of both worlds, as we all know; we come from the European side and we also come from our first nations cousins. We find out because our cousins tell us. But as far as the bill really affecting Métis women, it really doesn't.

Thank you very much.