Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on April 15th, 2021

[Melanie Omeniho]

I have an easy answer to that. There can be no real reconciliation around our indigenous population and the work that we do, including with Bill C-15, unless indigenous women, girls, children and 2SLGBTQ are included in the conversations and the consultation. We make up the majority of the indigenous community, and we have to be a part of all conversations because we see things from another perspective.

One of the things I've been taught is that, when you resource and support women, you resource and support a community. When you resource an infrastructure and those other mechanisms, you only resource a few. I think we need to support having women and the 2SLGBTQ being involved.

Thank you.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Thank you so much.

My next question is for Madam Whitman.

The federal government, as you know, recognizes AFN, ITK and the Métis National Council as national organizations to consult on important matters. Should there be an equivalent for indigenous women's organizations, and why?

[Lorraine Whitman]

Yes, I certainly do believe that there should be equality in there. NWAC represents, advocates for and defends the rights of the indigenous, the Métis and the Inuit. The women who are part of our membership choose who they'd like to be part of.

With this, we do the best we can to advocate for them. I feel that we should be at the tables, because we are there supporting and defending the women. These are their voices that we're speaking with and bringing forth. Also, with the national inquiry, the TRC, we're bringing the voices that the women want us to bring forth to the table, and we can't do well without having our voices there.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

I would agree with you. Silencing is not a good way to engage, for sure.

My last question is for Madam Symes, the legal counsel. I just want to ask about something specific to article 22 of the UN declaration, which states the following:

1. Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities in the implementation of this Declaration.

2. States shall take [all] measures, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, to ensure that indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination.

A vile human rights violation we see occurring in Canada is that we currently have over 5,000 murdered and missing indigenous women, and there has been little or no action from the federal government. As you know, in the inquiry, that was noted as an act of genocide resulting from human rights violations. A key call to justice that came out of the inquiry was to ensure the full adoption and implementation of the United Nations declaration into Canadian law.

Why is this so critical? Could you focus your response—and I know you can't read the article separately—specifically on women and uplifting the rights of indigenous women and girls and the diverse-gendered?

[Beth Symes]

Thank you for the question.

The UN declaration has the social and safety and security clearly in it, in articles 18, 21, 22 and so on. These now, when C-15 becomes law, are enshrined in Canadian law. It's much easier for judges, for tribunal members, for public servants and for people like you to say, “Well, it's now Canadian law, and we must achieve these. They are not merely aspirational. These are real rights.”

I picked the lifetime just as an example because it shows so graphically the enormous gap between what Canadians enjoy and what indigenous Canadians enjoy. It's a gap that's unacceptable. It's a gap that's caused by lack of housing, by lack of policing, by lack of education, economic.... All of these things, in a Canadian statute, will make them much more effective, much more compelling.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

As a quick follow-up, would you say a violation of these basic human rights—housing, access to clean drinking water—is directly related to the epidemic of violence and murder of indigenous women and girls and two-spirit individuals in this country?

[Beth Symes]

Absolutely. We were at the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls inquiry and called evidence to show that the lack of housing, the lack of health care, the lack of policing all increase, significantly, the risk of missing and murdered Inuit women and girls, who are 14 times more likely to be murdered than non-indigenous women and girls.

Yes, absolutely, all the social determinants of health are key to keeping indigenous women, Inuit women, safe, secure and healthy.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Do I have time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

We're out of time. I apologize for that, and I should apologize for the colonization that, when it came from Europe, diminished and almost eliminated the voices of women, which traditionally had equality and autonomy among the first nations at the time. Perhaps our work will resolve that.

I want to thank all our witnesses so much. I'm sorry about the technical aspects. We had an amazing group of people and testimonies. You are much appreciated.

With that, I will ask for a motion to adjourn.

Ms. Gazan, will you give me that motion?

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Yes. Thank you, Chair. I move to adjourn.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you once again.