Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 8th, 2020

[David Chartrand]

If I can, Mr. Chair, I'll add on to Jaime's question.

I was quite surprised by Gary's question because I think it's a wrong approach to the question. First of all, I wanted to commend him personally because he's the only one that raised the Métis issue, the Métis Nation. After the fact of what is happening in La Loche and all the Métis villages, he's the only one that raised the Métis. Everybody used the word “indigenous”. For all the people on this committee, please do not use that word because you confuse it all. The testing he's talking about, there is no testing in Métis villages. It's only happening now, after the fact. There was no plan, no strategy to do any testing in our villages, and there's no systemic plan in any fashion. We're having a big fight right now in Manitoba because the province is doing first nations data collection. They say they're doing Métis collection, but there's no dialogue with the Métis government whatsoever. When people use the word “indigenous”, they confuse it to look like all of us are getting it. We're not.

To your question, Jaime, we have a very robust communications strategy in Manitoba. We have our own radio show. We have 50,000 listeners on there. We have our own website. We have over 100,000 people coming to our website. We have 25,000 emails that are going out steady to our citizens, advising them potentially every second day of what's going on in government. Our robust communications strategy is very strong. We have about 125,000 Métis in Manitoba.

On the context of where things are moving forward, I think the challenge we face is that Canada has these programs coming out, and they are good. Trust me, they are very good. One of the things I'll commend the Prime Minister on—and I'll hold him to task if necessary—is that the Métis Nation.... You heard Natan say the same thing: distinctions-based, distinctions-based, distinctions-based. That's the only way you can measure success and failures. You have to know who you're talking to and who you're dealing with.

I think those programs that are being announced by Canada are a great opportunity for all of us to tap into. We need to figure out how we get it out as quickly as we can. That's our challenge.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thanks very much.

That brings us to the next questioner. From the New Democratic Party, we have Ms. Gazan.

Please go ahead for six minutes.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My question is directed to Chief Bellegarde and Vice-President Chartrand.

In a CBC article that was published on May 6 about the COVID crisis in La Loche, National Chief Bellegarde noted that first nations are more vulnerable because of overcrowded living conditions and lack of hospital access. Dr. Tam also shared these concerns stating, “People are taking it extremely seriously because these are more vulnerable situations”.

La Loche has a population of approximately 2,400 and currently has 111 reported cases of COVID-19. We heard yesterday that in La Loche, Saskatchewan, there now remains only one grocery store to serve a regional population of 6,000, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 in one of the two regional grocery stores.

I spoke with a community member in La Loche today and she indicated the growing concern in the community—

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Evelyn Lukyniuk]

I'm being asked if you could move your microphone slightly away.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

My apologies. Is that better?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

That's a lot better.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I was saying that I spoke with a community member in La Loche today and she indicated the growing concern in the community, reporting shortages of fresh fruit, cleaning supplies and other essential supplies. Finding affordable food prices now, already much higher in normal times, for seniors, single mothers and low-income people is also becoming more of a challenge.

With 70% of the COVID-19 cases in the far north region, the mayor of La Loche has described the situation as dire. I've heard from my conversations that when people actually test positive for COVID-19 in the region, there is very little follow-up and oftentimes instructions for self-isolation are only in English.

My question is for Vice-President Chartrand and National Chief Bellegarde. I'm interested in hearing from both of them their perspectives on critical steps that the government needs to take immediately to stop the spread of COVID-19 in this territory.

[David Chartrand]

I don't see Perry on the screen, so I'll jump ahead of him.

There you go, Perry. I have to get ahead of you, man.

Anyway, I thank Leah for that question, and let me answer this way: It truly is an important prospect, and I think that is what is shown, again, when I talk about the lack of proper planning.

When you look at the northern part of Saskatchewan, I was speaking to Leonard, who is the local leader of the Métis nation there. He himself is actually already putting $300,000 of investment into that area to support the things you talked about: the food and supplies and keeping people in their houses, trying to prevent them from walking out of their houses and going to events and potentially passing it even further. Therefore, there are a lot of attempts being made, and already a team.... You heard Perry say that the mayors are meeting, along with the local leaders. The mayor also happens to be the local president of the Métis in La Loche.

When you look at it from the concept there, the strategy we all need to take now, the province and the federal government as well, is to set aside jurisdictions for a second and focus on a war, because this is a war. We need to bring in your team and bring it in quickly, because we start to see Beauval, where there used to be one case and now there are eight. It's slowly drifting into these other Métis villages and the first nation reserves farther in the north. When it moves there, it's going to be very hard to contain and hold back.

We need to act now, no holds barred. Do not hold anything back. Whatever it costs, whatever we have to do, let's stop it before it spreads, because it will cost you 20 times that amount in the future or it will cause a lot of deaths before action is taken.

The strategy we need right now is for somebody to move in with a very full, comprehensive plan, not a band-aid approach, not just saying, “Okay, let's just look at it this way or that way.” We need to take a full pandemic approach and get in there now and do everything within our power. Pull it back. Stop it. If you have to put in legislation, or if decisions are holding people back....

We know there are alcohol problems and drug problems in the community; that, we all know. We have to figure out how we capture that group of people and help them and isolate them.

That's what has to be done. We have to look at it within that concept.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you very much.

I want to give National Chief Bellegarde a chance to answer, and then I'd like to follow up with another question.

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

Leah, to support our relatives in the north—

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

You have just one minute to answer this. Go ahead.

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

I just got off the phone with Rick Laliberte. They're working on a Treaty 10 pandemic plan. They're starting to develop a plan. The Métis people are working with the first nations people. They're working with the mayors and the chiefs. They're working together from a perspective of geographic area and they're calling it the Treaty 10 pandemic plan.

That should be supported by the province and the federal government.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Absolutely.

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

Support that plan.

They have trailers coming in. They need more PPE. They have ways to deal with the food security. Support that plan, because it's coming from the people who are directly affected: the Métis people and the first nations people. They're working together.

That's what I would urge governments to support, the plan that's coming from the people themselves.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

That's your time.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Okay, thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Madam Bérubé, I apologize. I changed the order by mistake. I have too much paper around me and distractions.

You have the floor for six minutes, Ms. Bérubé.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to welcome all the witnesses who are here today to the committee.

My first question is for Chief Bellegarde.

You know that many indigenous communities in Quebec face significant administrative hurdles in obtaining funds to help their members. I am thinking of the Mi'kmaq community of Gespeg, which would need $150,000, but is not eligible for such an amount. It is only eligible for $50,000. I am told that the Malecites of Viger would also be in this situation.

How do you think the government could make it easier for first nations to access the funding they need more quickly?

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

That is a good question. The simplest way is to work it so that the regional director from ISC works directly with the chiefs and councils to find the quickest, most effective and efficient way to get the resources out. It's one thing to have them, but it's another to find the quickest way out and to cut a lot of the bureaucratic red tape.

That's what has to happen in order to get this out into the community where the resources are needed.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Do you support the first nation of Gespeg, Mr. Bellegarde?

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

Sorry. [Inaudible—Editor] support for the Gespeg First Nation? Was that the question? I just want to clarify.

Again, for the Gespeg, working with the RDG, even the minister said if there are problems with the regional director general accessing or getting the answers you need, you can go directly either to his office or the ADM. Dr. Valerie Gideon is doing a good job of being accessible and providing the necessary supports going forward, so if there are issues concerned in the region, then we always look to headquarters, to HQ. A team of officials there should be accessible, and they should be able to deal with the situation that way.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Bellegarde, the AFN has created a new national COVID-19 task force to help you deal with the pandemic. Can you tell us more about the work of this group, including its interactions with the federal government?

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

Yes, that's a very good question.

At the Assembly of First Nations, we have 10 regional chiefs as well. I have assigned portfolios similar to ministers. We have Regional Chief Kevin Hart for Manitoba, who is in charge of emergency management and is one of the co-chairs. We have Chief Kluane Adamek from the Yukon. Her portfolio is health. So it is between those two co-chairs. We also have Regional Chief Marlene Poitras from Alberta who is a former nurse. She is now a leader. As well, we have Chief Roger Augustine from New Brunswick.

Their main role is to share information, communicate and listen and, as needs are identified from each of the territories and regions, they respond in a more effective and efficient manner. As well, they are there to lobby and advocate on the needs that have been identified in terms of putting pressure on the federal government and our provincial or territorial governments based on what they are hearing from the ground up. They are also calling in different experts from across Canada to share information and best practices, so that we can also share that and communicate that to our first nations.

Those are some of the main roles or functions of the COVID task team that's in place.

Thank you very much for the question.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Are you satisfied with the supply of medical protective equipment in northern communities?

[National Chief Perry Bellegarde]

That's another good question.

We're never going to be satisfied with the supply of PPE or any of the things going into the north. We're saying everything is a good start but more needs to be done. We're going to have to push. My job is to advocate and push to make sure that the governments honour their treaty obligations, their federal fiduciary trust obligations, and when they make commitments.... Both the Prime Minister and Minister Marc Miller made commitments that these funds that had been announced are scalable, which means that they can and should be expanded. Once the needs have been identified, the resources should be put in place.

Again, we say it's a start but they are scalable. The needs are great and so the funds should be...extra resources should be put in place to meet those health care needs that have been identified.