Evidence of meeting #7 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was covid-19.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Chairman, that was only three and a half minutes.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Well, the clock says three minutes and 54 seconds right now.
Assembly of First Nations
National Chief Perry Bellegarde
Support the Treaty 10 pandemic plan that Rick Laliberte and all the mayors and the chiefs are working on together. Support that. They have a total wraparound within a six-month period to do a whole wraparound for their whole territory, including the Métis people, the first nations people, with all of them working together. They have an integrated incident command centre. That should be supported. The federal government and provincial governments should work with them there.
This all came from Kearl Lake, by the way. An individual who was working in Alberta came back into the community and brought this sickness with them. They went partying and everything else and it started spreading. That's what happened. So to the young people, three things: wash your hands, practise physical distancing and self-isolate. That has to be the constant message to young people. If you love your parents and grandparents—this can affect them—show that you love them and listen and watch and be careful.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Thank you very much.
Mr. Vidal, I'm sorry about that. As each speaker or questioner goes over a little bit, it changes all of the times I have written on my list.
We have a couple of minutes before our deadline, which is four o'clock. I'd like the final questioner on this round to have his opportunity, and then following that the Bloc and NDP would finish the round, which would require 10 more minutes of our time.
I need the permission of the committee, so I'll ask the committee if it could allow the extra 10 minutes past four o'clock.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Excuse me, Chair. I can speak only for the Conservative members, but we do have a meeting at four o'clock. I know you want to get the questions in, but that's just to let you know that all four of us have a meeting after this.
NDP
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq NDP Nunavut, NU
On a point of order, as well, Chair, today the time has not been great at all. There have been lots of people going well over their time, between 30 seconds and a full minute, which limits my opportunity and the opportunity of my colleague MP Gazan to get in more questions. We know we are doing these virtually. We know we should be signing on a half-hour before, making sure our technology works in order to start on time and prevent any further delays. I think it's time that all of us, as committee members, decide we're going to take that extra step to make sure we're ready and we're prepared. We understand we're going to have these difficulties. I would never schedule something at 4 p.m., the same day I had a committee, because of these kinds of things, Chair. I think these are all things that we need to discuss in the future if it continues to be an issue.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
That's the difficulty with virtual; the gestures that we could use before in the committee room are hard to do here. I apologize for that. That's my fault as the chair.
Once again, could we conclude the round with Mr. van Koeverden, the Bloc and Ms. Qaqqaq? What are the wishes of the committee?
All in favour?
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Chair, I just want to say that it's not our doing as the opposition. We'd love to hear the witnesses. We're having a great conversation. But we do have a national caucus meeting, which is beyond just the four of us deciding when it's scheduled. There are a lot of moving pieces to this.
We do have to leave. We're not making this up. We have a national caucus meeting at four o'clock.
NDP
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq NDP Nunavut, NU
Absolutely. I'm not saying that you aren't telling the truth. I'm saying that I'm sure there are ways we can be working around these issues.
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Chair, since there will be no voting, is it not...?
I'd love to hear what the indigenous parliamentarians from the NDP would like to ask. I think we should afford them the ability to have that conversation and ask those questions, even if the Conservatives have to leave for caucus, which I acknowledge and respect.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Can I have a comment from the Conservatives on whether that would be okay in view of the fact that we will not hold a vote and at least the evidence will come forward to the analysts and to the rest of the members?
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
We'd need to have pretty solid agreement that there would be no vote.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Would the committee agree to an extension to allow for the conclusion of this round but not include any other committee business, such as votes?
Is everyone in favour of that? Can I have a show of hands, please?
I think Jamie said yes.
Bob, are you okay with that?
Arnold?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
The alternative is to end the meeting and not give the other people a chance to make their points or have the testimony collected from the witnesses.
NDP
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq NDP Nunavut, NU
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I think this needs to be a broader discussion.
Thank you so much for the opportunity, Mr. Battiste, especially as very few indigenous people are on this committee.
I think it's more than fine as long as we're recording. This is live. This is public. You can see things afterwards. I don't know what the disagreement is from the Conservative member.
Mr. Chair, I think this is a discussion that we need to have. We need to set a time for it and figure it out.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Once again, to my Conservative friends, would you allow the committee to continue on, based on my suggestion that no other committee business, including votes, take place, other than the receiving of witness testimony based on the questioning?
Jamie.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Sorry, Chair, can you give me two seconds? I'm just conferring with the members here.
NDP
NDP
Mumilaaq Qaqqaq NDP Nunavut, NU
Here we are, waiting for something that's taking an unnecessary amount of time.
