Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on March 20th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #98 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 know.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Supplementary Estimates (C), 2017-18: Votes 1c and 10c under Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Votes 3c, 7c and 13c under Department of Indigenous Services Canada

Interim Estimates 2018-19: Vote 1 under Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Votes 1, 5, 10, L15 and L20 under Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Indigenous Services Canada

Subject Matter of the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2017-18: Votes 1c and 10c under Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Votes 3c, 7c and 13c under Department of Indigenous Services Canada

Subject Matter of the Interim Estimates 2018-19: Vote 1 under Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Votes 1, 5, 10, L15 and L20 under Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Indigenous Services Canada

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee Mr. Michael MacPherson

Diane Lafleur Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Paul Thoppil Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer, Indigenous Services and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Sony Perron Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Is there another avenue for this kind of funding through your department?

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Jane Philpott Liberal Markham—Stouffville, ON

I am not aware of the specifics of the location and what kinds of opportunities might be there, but I will certainly ask for some work to be done to see if there are ways we can support the young people there.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Earlier you mentioned that you're looking forward to our report on the fire study. I was advocating that we title our fire study, “Don't Take the Kids”, but I don't think that's what we settled on.

I noticed recently in news reports that basically you've come out with a policy titled that—or right around—as well. I was just wondering if you could give us a bit of a heads-up on what your government is doing in terms of “don't take the kids”.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Jane Philpott Liberal Markham—Stouffville, ON

Are you speaking about child and family services?

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Yes. There was a news report recently about how children will not be removed from their communities just because they're living in poverty.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Jane Philpott Liberal Markham—Stouffville, ON

Right.

This goes back to some of the things we talked about earlier. There are a bunch of reasons why the number of indigenous children in care is so high. Some reasons that children are apprehended are reasons that, really, most of us would agree are not adequate reasons—poverty, for example, or inadequate housing. It strikes most human beings that you solve the poverty or you help solve the housing; you don't take a child from their family. Or look at issues like substance use disorders. In fact, if you take a child away from someone, it often makes the addiction worse. The answer is to get treatment for the person who has the addiction, not to rip their family from them.

We're trying to deal with prevention and are hoping that will make a big difference.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal MaryAnn Mihychuk

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.