Evidence of meeting #8 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was budget.
A video is available from Parliament.
Grand Chief, Mushkegowuk Council
Overwhelmingly, yes. That's what we're saying.
Liberal
NDP
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
I'm thinking of Nadine Tookate in Attawapiskat. I asked her what she wanted to be, and she said she wanted to be prime minister. She will be the prime minister, if she's given the support.
We have two options. We have these incredible young people who are such drivers in the communities, and we have the ones who have been left on their own and ground down. When I hear that such and such is not possible in this budget, I think of the Prime Minister's response to Syria. Nobody was responding to Syria. The whole world was wringing their hands. Suddenly it became an international urgency.
Well, this is an international urgency. I don't know, Chief Solomon, how many people are calling you from around the world, but people are asking what's going on in our country. How could this happen?
I heard Chief Day say to augment the budget. The Prime Minister put $1 billion on the table, which wasn't in any budget, to help Syria. I would like to see this, and I think it's our call. We have to rip up that first nations non-insured health benefits program. It has to stop, because it's not just bureaucratic—it's discriminatory. But it could happen. We could get the word that it's going to happen. Augment that budget, and not just mildly. This is an urgent case.
What will it take to deal with the crisis so that we have medicine in the nurses unit, so that we have proper telephones, and so that there's an x-ray machine in Kashechewan so they don't have to fly people out with a broken leg? What will it take to give us the mental health services? That is the question.
If we have the political will, we can transform this country, and it can be done right here in this building.
Grand Chief, Nishnawbe Aski Nation
I strongly support and agree with what you're saying, Charlie.
I think all of us realize in this room that we have a window of opportunity to finally address the long-standing issues: the social determinants of health, and the underlying issues that have been plaguing our communities for a long time now.
I think that if we can agree on this, then that's a start. We need to go further and collaborate on a framework, a process, that we can use moving forward, which includes us. We need to be in whatever process it is. Whatever is developed, we need to be there.
Grand Chief, Mushkegowuk Council
Like I said in my speech, we've been marginalized. We've been demoralized. We're loving people, we're caring people, and we're forgiving people. That's how I was raised: to respect, forgive, and to love.
If we have that mindset, we could transform the lives of aboriginal people, not only in Ontario but across this country. I think that's why we were saying that we can no longer live in the past.
I want hope for my 13 grandchildren. By the way, number 14 is this summer. My family tree is growing, and I want the best for them. That's all I want—nothing more, nothing less.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Andy Fillmore
We have exercised good discipline with the question time, so we can actually fit two more of the seven-minute questions in before we close.
The first of those two goes to Linda Lapointe, please.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'll speak in French.
I'm very happy that the witnesses are here with us today. I appreciate it very much.
If I understand correctly, the work is occurring in silos and action isn't being taken.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
It's easier for me to speak to you in French, because it's more specific. It's my language. I'm sure you understand that.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I'd like to thank you very much for being with us today. I'm grateful for the opportunity.
If I've understood what was said in previous discussions about health care in the field, a lot of policies aren't materializing and the administration can't effectively take care of your needs. I am a mother of four children. They are grown up now, but I can't imagine seeing them suffer. It's incomprehensible that, in a country like Canada, you don't have the medication you need and that people don't have access to basic care. Given everything we are doing, do you think we will be able to resolve these problems in the long term? I understand that there are things to resolve.
You spoke a little earlier about infrastructure, and you said that we have to fix this situation first. What is your priority in terms of infrastructure? There are problems with water and housing, but what do we need to do quickly? You shouldn't have to wait another year or two. How many young people have to suffer? I think efforts have been made in the area of mental health care following the emergency this week, but long-term efforts are also needed.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. From listening to all the discussions we've had since the beginning and the questions my colleagues have asked, I understand that you need to be there to make decisions and find solutions. It's an open question.
Thank you.
Board Chair, Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
I would quickly add that one of the first things I think we need to look at, if we're going to make a change, is the system, the system that allows this to happen. I think that's where we need to first of all focus our attention. How can we change the system that allows these things to happen and that perpetuates them in communities?
Ontario Regional Chief
It's a very good question. I'll be very quick, because I know there should be room for others to speak.
It's about basic needs. We need to take a child-centred approach. I think the question is so paramount, because we need to think about the next generation. All of us think about our children. I was elected on securing a future for our children. Basically what's happening in our first nations communities is that all the basic infrastructure needs, like water and children's playgrounds, need investment.
We must also recognize that we have a situation with respect to Cindy Blackstock and the child welfare issue that went to the tribunal. We need a response to that. We need a response that the government will actually become very forthright, that they will fund the levels that are needed with respect to Jordan's principle, and that there will be funding specific to children and raising them up in a wholesome, healthy way.
Grand Chief, Mushkegowuk Council
You know, my colleague here said that we need to fix the system first. That's what needs to happen. We need to fix the oppression, the policies and legislation that have been oppressing our people from the start. That's what needs to happen. Then we can sit around like this and start prioritizing what we do with infrastructure, what we do with health, what we do with the social aspect of it.
That's what I mean. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work together. That's what I'm getting at.
Thank you very much.
Grand Chief, Nishnawbe Aski Nation
The issue on the ground in many of our communities is energy, and the fact that many of our communities still rely on diesel generators.
One quick example is Pikangikum. You heard about Pikangikum and what happened there two weeks ago. Their power right now is at full capacity. They cannot even build any houses. They cannot start other building projects because the power source that's there now is not able to provide the power for other new houses.
I think that's something that we're working on. John is also involved in a project to begin to allow our communities to hook up to the grid and to look at alternative ways of generating power in our communities.
If we're going to be talking about investing in our communities and infrastructure for our communities, we need that power. We need a power source that will be able to accommodate and support that expansion and investment.
Board Chair, Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
I work on that transmission project where we're trying to connect remote communities to the provincial grid. One of the important things I want to point out here is that we need a funding framework from both levels of government to connect remote communities to the grid and get them off diesel. A funding framework with the support of both levels of government is very important.
Meegwetch.
Liberal
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
I reflected a little bit on Chief Day's comments. We had the inauspicious 140th anniversary of the Indian Act. I can remember tearing my hair out over the benefits program in the eighties in terms of how complicated it was. I think we have something a bit more complicated than just...10 years...
I look at some of the things that were in the communities I represent. I'm very proud of the First Nations Health Authority and some of the really good work that has been done. I just wanted to perhaps push back very gently. We have a huge, complex problem. Just from the far-ranging discussion today, including crisis response, primary care services, economic development, and the structure of systems, we see how many aspects there are. I think that framework the minister talks about creating is going to be incredibly important.
I want to quickly pick up on Mr. McLeod's comments. I was interested to hear about the De Beers diamond mine. I know that in British Columbia, and we represent all Canadians, but sometimes you know the communities you live in better than you know some of the other provinces. They do have royalty-sharing agreements. If a new mine goes in, and the provincial government has royalty sharing. I know that in communities where that has been part of their agreements, it's made a tremendous difference.
I think one question is whether that is happening in your communities. This is in addition to any agreements they would have made with the company.
I also know that there is a fairly large group that was very interested in the government strictly backstopping the opportunities to be a partner through equity investments. That was perhaps a disappointment for me in this budget, because they're actually backstopping a loan. But it would create enormous opportunities if there's new development in terms of that equity partnership. I guess we've gone from 100,000 to individual patients. I would appreciate some comment in terms of some of these concepts, and what those opportunities might bring for future, especially as it relates to economic.....
Ontario Regional Chief
Very quickly, resource-revenue sharing is not just an endeavour that should be looked at by the provinces and territories. Those within the federal family through the division of powers, this notion of control and authority over our lands, is a big problem today. I think the De Beers mining issue is just one example. We see this right across the country.
But one that I think is going to be quite compelling for us to start off brand new is where we're going with the climate change policy in Canada. Perhaps there's an opportunity through cap and trade and other mechanisms within climate change policy where, say for example, the second-largest carbon sink in the world is in Nishnawbe Aski Nation territory. If there's going to be an effort to look at cap and trade and tax credits and building on the green space, that's where it should happen. Do not leave our communities out of climate change policy as it pertains to resource revenue sharing and building up the communities.
Board Chair, Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
I was just going to add that the Attawapiskat situation is an impact benefit agreement, and I think it is very important that we move the legislation to allow that to happen.
Grand Chief, Mushkegowuk Council
This week they found a certified carat diamond at the diamond mine. For all the diamonds found in the region, how much money was invested in programs in the region? Billions of dollars' worth of diamonds go out of Attawapiskat or Mushkegowuk territory. How much money is coming back for reinvestment in training, education, and housing? None. Revenue sharing is the answer. Impact benefit agreements are just crumbs under the table. That's all they are: crumbs under the table, the leftovers. That's all you get. Thank you.