Evidence of meeting #1 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Okay. You don't forget about me, and I won't forget about you. How's that?
Cathy, I'm sorry. Go ahead, please.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Thank you.
I did do a notice of motion, again, not being sure if it could be received. I know that back in March you had the ministers for the main estimates, but those main estimates were not reported to the House. Therefore, even though you did your work, that work was actually not completed. Of course, the main estimates have been sent to us again, and I think it's imperative that we actually take the time. It has been many, many months since we've heard from the ministers and things have changed dramatically.
The reason I put a date is.... They actually have to be reported back to the House, I understand, in November, but look at what happened last time. They didn't get reported back because, of course, in a matter of days the House was shut down.
I think to be safe, as a matter of priority, let's get the ministers in. Let's talk about the estimates, and let's get those reported back to the House. I find it troubling when a committee doesn't meet its deadlines in terms of reporting the estimates to the House.
Again, I think this should be a priority. It would be one or two meetings, and that would be it.
Thank you.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Yes, my understanding is that November 27 is the deadline, but please go ahead, Gary.
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON
My understanding, Cathy, is that the ministers appeared—if I'm not mistaken—on June 13 or thereabouts, and that it was reported, that it was tabled—
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON
They were tabled just before prorogation. That's my understanding. We can double-check, or maybe the clerk can double-check. However, I think the ministers look forward to appearing sometime in November, and we can work that out for the current period. Certainly, for the previous timeline, they have appeared, and it has been reported back to the House. We'll get you clarification on the dates for that.
Liberal
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
It was my understanding that we weren't debating these, that we were just tabling these, putting them on the table, and that we were going to discuss them later. Why are we debating them?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
That's a good point. Thank you.
We're not going to debate them anymore. We're going to just move along.
Eric, I have you up next.
Conservative
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I did raise my hand a while back, and obviously the discussion has continued. I have two motions that I'd like to table. However, I haven't submitted them already. I just want to know if I'm okay to proceed.
Conservative
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Thank you.
The first one will be similar to that of my colleague from Thunder Bay—Rainy River, touching on food security. I'd like to move that, pursuant—
Conservative
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Yes, it's a notice of motion. Excuse me.
The motion is the following:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a comprehensive study on food security in Northern Canada; that the scope of the study include but not be limited to the structure and efficacy of Nutrition North Canada; that the witness list include but not be limited to northern retailers, representatives from northern municipalities and First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities receiving the subsidy, and experts in the subject of food security; and that the committee report its findings to the House.
Second, given the fact that we are meeting virtually and given that our colleague from Nunavut wasn't able to join us, I'd like to bring notice for a very brief motion:
That the committee recognizes the immediate need for investment in broadband in Northern Canada to ensure remote communities are not left behind during this pandemic, and this be reported to the House.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have two notices, which were sent out this morning, that I would like to include in the discussion today. The first one is about the boil water advisories, which have been an item of great attention in the last few weeks. It reads:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee review the process in which the Department of Indigenous Services identifies, prioritizes, develops a plan to address, and then addresses boil water advisories across Canada and ways in which this process can be streamlined and where innovative technologies provided by the private sector could play a role in providing favourable outcomes; and, that the committee will invite officials from the Department of Indigenous Services, the Minster for Indigenous Services, Indigenous community leaders, and industry leaders in innovative methods of water purification; that all meetings for this study be televised; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
My second motion says:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the implementation of C-92, passed in the 42nd Parliament, focusing on establishing a best-practices approach that is indigenous-led and modeled; and, that the committee invite officials from the Department of Indigenous Services, representatives from all provincial governments, the Minister for Indigenous Services, relevant stakeholders, and Indigenous community leaders who have already begun, and not yet begun the process of assuming jurisdiction of the provision of child and family services; that all meetings for this study be televised; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Thank you very much.
Welcome, Ms. Bérubé.
Do you want to say something?
Bloc
Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
I will present the three motions that I sent in last week. The first is as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee resume and complete its study on food security in northern communities undertaken during the first session of the 43rd Parliament; that the evidence and documents received by the committee at that time be considered by the committee during the current session; and that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.
Here is my second motion:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study and report its recommendations on the basic needs (housing, businesses, drinking water and social services) of Indigenous peoples during COVID-19 and on government measures that could support them in developing a recovery plan that meets their needs; that, in conducting this study, the committee consider the evidence and documents received by the committee during its study of the government’s response to the pandemic in the first session of the 43rd Parliament.
My third motion is as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study on the state of Indigenous rights in Canada with a view to harmonizing policies and supports for Indigenous peoples in Canada with the principles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and that the committee report its recommendations to the House.
As I told you earlier, I submitted my motions last week, in accordance with the rules. Of course, if you have any questions, I propose that they be debated.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Bratina
Thank you very much.
We can refer to the material that Madame Bérubé submitted to us if anyone missed the interpretation. Things were going fairly quickly for interpretation to capture everything, but it was sufficient to get a general understanding and we have the text of the material, as Madame Bérubé has already sent it to us.
Our work now is to determine.... We have everything submitted and everyone has spoken with regard to motions, so I am going to ask the committee how it wants to proceed. Mr. Viersen had a motion he wanted to put forward right now, and I suggest that we have to have unanimous consent to entertain a motion now, because what we're doing at this moment is determining the future of our committee, the business we're going to be doing and the order of reports.
Mr. Powlowski.
Liberal
Marcus Powlowski Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
I don't know if it's a point of order, but I see that the NDP didn't have any motions. Is that because Ms. Qaqqaq couldn't get online? I don't think it would be fair to the NDP members if they cannot present any notices of motions because of technical problems. Maybe Ms. Blaney could address that. If that's the case, we ought to consider that and perhaps give them some time to present their notices of motions.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
There were some challenges there, and we are presently working that out with her. Based on the understanding that I had, and we had this conversation, the subcommittee is the one that comes and presents to the whole committee. My understanding today was that we were going to hear the notices of motions, and then the subcommittee would meet and start prioritizing, which would allow time as well for our normal sitting member to present her motion or motions.
I just want to put in my 10¢ with Mr. Viersen. If this is a study, I would like to hear the motion before I give consent to move forward with it.
