Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on March 8th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Andy Fillmore]

Yes, we do, and I plan to do that.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Chair, if that's how you're going to run the meetings, we're going to have to move to other means of dividing up the time afterwards if there isn't the time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Andy Fillmore]

Yes.

Please go ahead, Mr. Dorey, with your final remark.

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

My final remark is that as of today the congress has gone through a rebranding process. We will now be the Indigenous Peoples’ Assembly of Canada.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Andy Fillmore]

Thank you so much.

Before we go to committee questions, I have a question for the committee itself. We're doing our best to make up a half an hour of lost time here. I have from one or two members a willingness to shorten the next seven-minute question rounds to five minutes so the committee can still turn to the business of two motions after we say goodbye to our guests. Can I test the willingness of the committee to switch to five-minute questions coming up?

I see consent for that. Thanks so much.

The next question goes to Gary, please.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I had the opportunity last Friday to visit the Native Child and Family Services in Scarborough, and was quite impressed with the amount of work they do.

As you know the Prime Minister said we're looking to build a nation-to-nation relationship with our indigenous, Inuit, and Métis peoples, so what role do you think the people living in urban settings can play in setting that relationship?

[Christopher Sheppard]

For us friendship centres have always been places for people to go regardless of what background they come from. If you're an aboriginal individual, and you need support for something in your community, you could go there and you would be respected for who you were as an aboriginal person. We've treated every person who's come through our doors with respect. I think for friendship centres it's about always recognizing those things, and we're glad to support anyone who wants to build relationships.

We're not a politically representative organization. We are an organization that is literally based on supporting the communities we're in no matter what they need. We've had indigenous people walk through the doors, and we've had non-indigenous people walk through the doors. When we talk about reconciliation, we've been doing this work for so long because for a lot of communities this is a safe place where a non-aboriginal person or a non-indigenous person could go to learn about that culture and people in a place of respect. We're not politically representative. The nation-to-nation piece, we look at it differently because of the way we treat everyone who walks through the doors of our friendship centre. Maybe we have something to share in that regard as to how we work with all the different people who walk through our doors, but we do it every day.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

To both the national chief and the friendship centres, what concrete measures can the federal government take in protecting indigenous languages and cultures, and in particular, promoting them within the overall Canadian framework?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

For one thing, there has to be a real, closer working relationship with provincial governments, if you are talking about the people that we advocate for and represent, because of the jurisdiction of education within the provinces. However, having said that, one of the big issues relative to the Daniels case, and the reason why we took this to court, is fiduciary responsibility. It has already been declared by the courts. We have been fighting and arguing for this for 45 years, that the fiduciary duty and responsibility for all aboriginal or indigenous people should rest with the federal government under section 91, class 24, of the British North America Act. Once that is resolved, if in fact we get that declaration and there is a fiduciary duty, there is a right for us to be consulted and negotiated with. Those are the primary kinds of questions that we will get at and will expect to be addressed by the federal government.

[Jeffrey Cyr, Executive Director, National Association of Friendship Centres]

Mr. Chair, may I add a few comments?

One of the ways to get at indigenous language and cultural transmission is to provide the space and the programming, and to facilitate the take-up in communities. Friendship centres have looked forward to this government, both in an infrastructure context and a programming context, to facilitate that. Let's provide the safe spaces where cultural transmission occurs, where we engage elders and youth in the transmission of that knowledge, which includes, very importantly, languages and indigenous spirituality within that frame. Being a little more open under the indigenous languages program formerly or currently with the Department of Canadian Heritage, and expanding that capacity, is also critical.

[The Chair, Liberal, Andy Fillmore]

The next question will go to Arnold Viersen, please.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is for.... Is it IPAC now? Is that how we are going to refer to it?

You touched upon your work off reserve, as the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, and how you represent a whole host of people. What is the role of elders in your community? How does that connect you to consultations, and how do the elders influence the community altogether?

I am slowly learning all of this. I have 14 first nations in my riding of Peace River—Westlock. They all tell me that the elders are the people who really hold onto the culture and propel it forward. I am just wondering how the role of elders plays out in with your organization.

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

That's a very good question. Two of the main priorities, as we progress in our work within the congress, are our elders and our youth. We have a youth council. We counsel with elders just about every time we meet. Whenever there is a major meeting or an annual assembly, we invite the elders. We provide rooms for them to meet and discuss our relative issues and give advice.

That is taking place within all of our affiliated organizations at the provincial and territorial level as well. It is very important. We believe strongly in the things of our culture, you know, seven generations, and respect for our people who are the keepers of the knowledge. Oral tradition among our peoples, our communities, is extremely important.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Does that work quite well off reserve as well as on reserve?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

Yes, it does, with the exception that, for us, it is always a resource issue because our people are scattered about. To show respect for our elders, we have to provide for them. The resources that are available are often a big issue.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Thank you.

As you may know, at the beginning of this year there was a special committee on physician-assisted suicide, and it held meetings with stakeholders from around the country. There were only two indigenous witnesses who appeared, and both expressed concern with the lack of consultation with national indigenous organizations. Was CAP or IPAC invited to take part in these committee consultations?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

No, we weren't.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Okay.

I know that end-of-life care and palliative care and suicide are critical issues for aboriginal people, indigenous people. Have you had consultations with your membership on these particular issues?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

Not to any great length. Again, it goes back to the issue of resources.

You hit on a point. It's a known problem, the high rate of suicides within the indigenous populations of the country. It's about time we were provided with the kinds of necessary resources to effectively address those concerns and deal with our communities.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

I guess this is a fairly broad question. How can the government ensure that a national indigenous organization such as yours has a stronger voice in nation-to-nation consultations?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

Unfortunately, because of time I couldn't get into that, but in the last few pages of my presentation, I talk about the political accord that the congress has with the federal government. It's been in place for over 20 years now. It lists a lot of the key agenda items: health, housing, education, training, and all these.

We're looking forward and have met with Minister Bennett to start that process to get it fuelled again. This is the way we want to address these things, with support for the political accord. What we call a road map is a three-year plan to set out how we'll implement these things and address these kinds of concerns.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Where can I find that three-year plan?

[Chief Dwight Dorey]

You can get it through our office.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Yes. Thank you. That's my time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Andy Fillmore]

Thanks a lot.

Yes, and perhaps you wouldn't mind, also, if you're comfortable, to leave your notes, or by whatever conveyance, any other briefing you'd like us to have.