Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Oct. 27th, 2020

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

That would be great.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Thank you, MP Blaney, for the question.

We know that those infrastructure gaps, particularly in respect of housing, are unacceptable and were part of the reason for and the driver of communities being in a lesser position for poorer health outcomes with respect to COVID. We know, particularly in Inuit communities, how close and unacceptable housing conditions are a vector of tuberculosis, for example. This is, as you mentioned, absolutely nothing new.

Clearly, as we looked at what was in front of us as we faced a historic pandemic, it was that fact. I note that you mentioned tents. I would insert a word of caution there because these are highly specialized movable structures that are intended to isolate. They are used in some cases for testing. They are adaptable for the winter up to -40°C. They have been a critical resource for some communities in terms of their COVID response, along with the repurposing that we've done of certain buildings in response to their pandemic plan needs.

Now, I do agree with you that these are unacceptable conditions that first nations, Inuit and, for that matter, Métis communities face. This has been laid bare by COVID once again. That is why the Governor General mentioned as much in the throne speech in 2020, which was focused on the inequities that were laid bare by the COVID pandemic.

We are in a response-to-COVID mode, so clearly the safety of people and communities and their priorities need to be met. I am fully aware of this. We have an undertaking in government to close that gap by 2030. The question that I think we all need to pose to ourselves is, should we be doing that much more quickly? I would answer that, for my own purposes, in the affirmative.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you for that. Again, I'll just mention that timeline in incremental justice.

My next question is for Minister Miller and Minister Bennett. I've had two serious outbreaks in my riding in indigenous communities, one in Tla'amin, which is treaty, and one in 'Namgis, which is non-treaty. I want to do a big recognition of the amazing work of former hegus Clint Williams and Chief Don Svanvik, who work so hard in their communities to address those issues, and I want of course to recognize that we did lose one elder.

I'm just wondering, from your perspective, what were the lessons learned from those communities? Also, how are we going to move forward in addressing this when those types of communities across Canada are hit, knowing that one is treaty and one is non-treaty?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Perhaps I can take the small moment afforded to me to speak to the excellent work done by the First Nations Health Authority, which really is an example for all of Canada. It exists only in B.C., but they've really done some amazing work to ensure that the resources we have at our disposal are deployed and mobilized, in conjunction with the Government of British Columbia, to ensure that communities stay safe but also to respect the cultural sensitivity and the lens that needs to be applied to this—and it actually saves lives.

The loss of any person, particularly an elder, is a tragedy, but the work that's been done in those communities has really been an example not only to other indigenous communities but to all communities in Canada. I think that if we looked at some of the measures taken and the seriousness with which those communities have responded, we might, I propose, have a better approach nationally. I actually am inspired by some of the work that's been done, and particularly by the leadership shown by the FNHA.

Minister Bennett.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

You have just 15 seconds.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

Thanks for that. As we were communicating with the modern treaty and self-governing nations right from the beginning, it was clear that they had their own priorities and their own way of doing things. It was up to us to provide them with the resources that they needed to respond.

In the Friday calls that have gone on since March, they've been sharing best practices, wise practices, with one another, but our job is to get them what they need. That's what we've been doing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thanks very much for that round of questions.

Now to reset, we were about nine minutes late with the audio-technical issues. I'm going to ask the witnesses if they're able to stay so that we can complete the second round of questioning, which should take 25 minutes. Is there any problem with ministers Bennett, Vandal and Miller continuing on with the questioning? I know that our time schedule said 7:30, but we were unfortunately late getting started due to technical reasons.

Can we press on with the second round? Okay, good.

In the second round of questioning, I have five minutes with the Conservative and Liberal members; two-and-a-half-minute questions with the Bloc and the NDP; and five minutes with the Conservatives and Liberals.

My list is Melillo, Zann, Bérubé, Blaney, McLeod and van Koeverden.

Eric, would you like to start now for five minutes?

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I thank our witnesses and the ministers for being here. I trust you and your families are doing well and are healthy during this time.

I would like to direct my questions to Minister Vandal. As the minister knows and as the minister noted, tourism is a large part of the northern economy, whether it's the northern provinces like my riding or across the three northern territories as well. Tourism is also a catalyst for other economic activity, whether it supports the retail stores or restaurants and many other aspects.

I was disheartened when many seasonal operators and tourist operators had trouble qualifying for a lot of the business support that was announced, because of the rigid criteria. I'm wondering if there was any sort of consultation or consideration of seasonal businesses when these programs were designed. If so, why was it not reflected in the programming?

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Thank you, MP Melillo. That's an excellent question.

When I talk to the MPs from the north—Bagnell, McLeod and Qaqqaq—it's often mentioned that tourism is something that has really taken a hit in the north. That's a natural by-product of keeping borders closed. Especially, the big operators who go on the excursions to remote areas have been hit very hard.

I know that through CanNor, which is in Minister Joly's portfolio, we've provided $15 million for emergency funding to meet their regional challenges, as well as an additional $34 million through the RRRF, the regional relief and recovery fund, to help businesses of all industries across the north, including the medical, hospitality and natural resource industries. I know that in spite of this, the tourism industry is in deep distress. Consultations and discussions are ongoing—

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

—with the deputy minister of CanNor, who—

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you very much, Minister.

I want to ask another question with my five minutes.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Yes.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

I wonder if you—or your department potentially—have a sense or an estimate of how many businesses in the north were not eligible for the programming that they applied for.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

I don't have that answer right now.

Perhaps Deputy Minister Watson has some information on that.

[Daniel Quan-Watson, Deputy Minister, Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs]

No, Mr. Chair.

I have not managed that program. That information is with CanNor. We don't have direct access to it.

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Okay, thank you very much, Minister.

I recognize that obviously these programs had to be rolled out quite quickly and there wasn't the potential to have as broad-based a consultation as I'm sure you would have liked, but all opposition parties and many government MPs as well actually brought forward many proposals to change programming and flag issues, whether these relate to a business that didn't use a business account, indigenous businesses that were tax-exempt on reserve or many different aspects. There are many reasons that they weren't able to qualify for the supports.

I'm wondering, Minister, if you could provide some insight into why it took so long for some of these changes to the programs to occur.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

First of all, I think it's important to understand that from the beginning, from early March, our government has been consumed with trying to take care of the needs of Canadians, individuals and businesses, throughout this pandemic. Public servants have literally designed programs worth tens of billions of dollars and rolled them out very quickly.

By and large, I think the majority of the programs landed well, and for those that didn't, our government has shown a willingness to make them better. Having said all that, it's still not perfect. There is still a lot of work to do. There are still gaps, and it's incumbent on our government, through the ministers, to continue to talk to Canadians, to talk to business owners and to see how we can make those programs even better.

There are many uncertainties in the world today. One certainty we do have is that our government will be there for Canadians throughout the pandemic.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thanks, Minister. That's the time.

Our next speaker is Lenore Zann, for five minutes.

Please go ahead, Ms. Zann.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Well, thank you very much, wela'lin . I am on the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq, “the people of the dawn”, here in Nova Scotia. Thank you very much for recognizing the importance of the terrible residential schools that were so burdensome to so many first nations people. This summer, the former Shubenacadie school was made a national site so that we do not forget what happened there. I have to say that so many Mi'kmaq people suffered, and it becomes then, of course, generational trauma and suffering that goes through all the families. I think this is a very important step towards truth and reconciliation in coming together to accept and take responsibility for what the Crown has done in the past and what we don't want to do in the future.

I'm curious as to when in fact we will be introducing, for instance, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I believe that this will reconfirm our commitment to ensuring self-determination for the first nations, the Inuit and the Métis, and how central that is to our nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown and government-to-government relationship.

Minister Bennett, would you like to address that issue?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

I really do believe that the tabling of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.... The legislation that is on the floor, the bill that has passed through the House of Commons, Romeo Saganash's bill, unfortunately got held up in the Senate. I hope that we will be able to table that this fall. Minister Lametti is just finishing the engagements that are necessary to do that in the technical advisory committee, and we look forward to doing that.

As you know, the UN declaration was part of Bill C-91 on languages, part of Bill C-92 on child and family. We are already acknowledging how important that declaration is for us to be able to move forward, and to explain to people that the UN declaration is not scary; this is the way forward for certainty.

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

I really appreciate hearing that, Minister. I think it's so important. In my discussions with Mi'kmaq people here, we are all very keen to see that happen. We believe it is the right way to go.

Here in Nova Scotia and throughout the Atlantic, I believe the first nations have proven time and time again the power of partnership through initiatives. I'm thinking about the Atlantic first nations health partnership, for instance. I am very encouraged by the strong first nation engagement in this co-management structure that's enabling them to improve their community's health.

One issue that I do find keeps coming up, though, is mental health and people who are struggling with mental health. Of course, this will also involve things like addiction, but it also involves depression, anxiety, suicide, cutting and these kinds of things. I keep hearing from a number of people in my community that when they go to the hospital, sometimes they're just sent home, no matter how many times they cry out for help. One young man was sent home with some sleeping pills a couple of years ago. He committed suicide. He hung himself. It was so sad. He was a first nations firefighter. He was also a champion kickboxer.

What can we do to help, and what are we doing to help, with mental health issues and supports for indigenous peoples across Canada?

Who would like to answer that?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

I'd be happy to, but I would like to take much more time than a minute to do this question service. As I mentioned in the introduction, this is the hidden face of this pandemic, and it is something that existed well before. It is why our department has invested $425 million annually for community-based and community-led services to address the needs of first nations and Inuit, while recognizing as well that COVID has laid bare this hidden face of the pandemic.

If you look at B.C. and the overdoses, a disproportionate number of which have affected indigenous communities, we know that there is something that needs to be addressed. This is in partnership with provinces, obviously, particularly with those that are shying away from harm reduction models, which is extremely alarming. It is why, obviously, in August we announced another $82.5 million to address this over the next six months of the pandemic, and we will be there every step of the way if more support is needed. We will not be able to quantify the impact of this for a very long time, as you know, as it manifests itself over time.

I do appreciate this important question and your advocacy on this, Lenore.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you, Minister and Lenore.

For our two-and-a-half-minute round, you're first up, Madame Bérubé.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm asking myself a serious question.

Mr. Miller, how do you keep track of the epidemic in the north, considering that indigenous communities are currently living in places where there are no Internet connections or cell phone coverage?