Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Oct. 28th, 2024

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I think what the Autorité financière des Premières Nations and Yänonhchia' specifically are asking for is quite reasonable, especially as it increases the movement of capital within first nations. This would be a self-determination lever in the long term.

Do you think these requests are excessive? Personally, I think these amounts are reasonable, but I'd like to know what you think.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

In general, I think this approach is reasonable. That's why it was announced by the Minister of Financein the 2024 budget.

She announced a capital markets fund for first nations, so they are able to access major capital—for example, to buy into big infrastructure projects. They will have the capital to do that. This is the direction we're taking as a government.

We'll ensure financial tools are in place, as well, to support full economic participation and greater self-determination in communities.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'd like to ask one last quick question.

Do you agree that it costs more for indigenous communities to complete projects than it does, say, for white people?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Absolutely. The expense of building anything in first nations, particularly in remote first nations, is amplified.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, meegwetch.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lemire.

Before starting Ms. Idlout's time, I want to do a quick sound check. We'll have a brief pause for that before we get going.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

With that, we can start back up.

Ms. Idlout, I will turn the floor over to you for six minutes or less.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Thank you, Chairperson.

I thank the ministers for their briefing.

My first question will be for Minister Vandal. It will be on the food security subsidy.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Ms. Idlout, I'm sorry. I'm going to have to stop you. There's an issue with the translation.

Ms. Idlout, I'm going to restart your time so you have the full six minutes.

I'll turn it over to you for six minutes.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Thank you, Chairperson.

Thanks, ministers, for this question period.

My question is for Minister Vandal. On the nutrition north subsidy, you stated that, back in May, they were doing a study. It has taken a few months to conduct this study. When will you be able to produce a report?

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

I'm hoping to produce a report as soon as possible. The internal review by the public service is currently ongoing. This is something in progress right now. We are going to begin an external review very shortly, as soon as possible.

While in Iqaluit recently with the Premier of Nunavut, I announced there will be a minister's special representative who will do the external review of nutrition north. I think it's important we make sure that all of the assumptions from the internal are also reviewed as part of the external. As part of this process, northerners are widely consulted—not only leaders but also users of nutrition north. I think that is important. I've gotten a lot of feedback.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Can you give us three points on what you have found through this study?

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

Thus far, we've talked to a lot of people about the study.

I think they're reviewing the data now on how the subsidy is passed through to the consumer—to northerners. I want to make sure that every single penny of the retail subsidy goes directly to northerners. That's why we're being extra vigilant. The public service is reviewing the data.

Many people we speak to say there is some benefit to the nutrition north program.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

I'm sorry. I don't have a lot of time. I was hoping to hear a shorter response.

Now my question will be for Minister Patty Hajdu because of the time restraint we have.

You told us, for example, about Bill C-61 and Bill C-23. Those pertain to indigenous people. My question, Minister Hajdu, is why these bills haven't reached indigenous communities. They don't seem to be effective. As indigenous people, we are rights holders, but they are not respected.

Can you give us a clear response, please?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you very much.

Some of the bills I listed, as you know, are under way. Bill C-61 is currently in front of this committee and, as I said, we'll be going through clause-by-clause. That's very important.

We hope we will see less obstruction in the House of Commons so that bills like Bill C-38 can actually get debated. Bill C-38, as you know, is about continuing to address inequities—in particular, gender-based inequities—in the Indian Act. There are families waiting for that bill to be debated in the House to finish the important work so that we can right these wrongs.

What we need is committees doing the important work on Bill C-61. On Bill C-38, we need to see movement in the House so that the debate can actually continue on legislation that matters to Canadians.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Thank you.

My last question comes from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Chief Walter Wastesicoot from the Keewatin Tribal Council. I was told that the Jordan's principle process is too slow. There's $8 million yet to be given out. This is to be doled out over two years, but your staff are too slow.

Can you tell us why the process is too slow? How are you trying to speed up the process?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you very much.

One of the most important things we've done, and an early thing we did as a government, was to implement Jordan's principle in 2016. Since then, first nations children have received more than 7.6 million products, services and supports. This is about $8.1 billion in services and supports.

We're going to continue to work to ensure that the incredible demand—which is a good problem to have, because people know about the program—can be met with efficiency and processes that get people and families the services they need.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you very much, Ms. Idlout.

That concludes our first round of questioning.

Moving on to the second round, we'll start with the Conservative Party and Mr. Zimmer.

You have five minutes.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for appearing at committee.

We've even heard from one of your Manitoban colleagues that this might be one of your last appearances at committee, so again, thank you for appearing today.

We saw not long ago that you were openly critical of the Prime Minister around a Senate appointment in Manitoba. I have an article from The Globe and Mail, which reads:

A federal Liberal cabinet minister is criticizing Charles Adler's appointment to the Senate, saying there are Manitobans better suited to represent the province....

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal...offered his view in a statement his office released on Monday.... “There are many eminently qualified Manitobans who are better suited to represent our province than Charles Adler,” he said.

We even saw our chair recently make public a comment about a concern around the sitting Prime Minister. In a CBC article just last week, entitled, “Some Liberal MPs issue a deadline to Trudeau: make up your mind to stay or go by Oct. 28”, it reads, “Sources said MP Patrick Weiler read a letter to Trudeau today during the party's caucus meeting on Parliament Hill—

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

I'm not sure the content of what Mr. Zimmer is saying right now has anything to do with this committee meeting.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

It does, I can reassure him.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

I want to remind members that we're here today to discuss the priorities of our three ministers for this committee.

I'll ask the member to keep it relevant to the topic at hand today.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

It is. I'm just about there.

It says, “Sources said MP Patrick Weiler read a letter to Trudeau today during the party's caucus meeting on Parliament Hill, laying out the arguments in favour of the prime minister resigning now.”

Seeing such public dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister, when you talked about priorities—

[Anna Gainey, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

I would like to reiterate what my colleague said. I don't believe this has any relevance to or bearing on this meeting.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

It does.

I'm just about done my question, Chair.