Evidence of meeting #135 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
December 5th, 2024 / 9:05 a.m.
Liberal
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
You can answer the question, and that will be the end of this round.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Okay. Thank you very much.
Mr. Chair, I have never indicated to the Liberal Party of Canada that I'm indigenous, full stop. I tried to come up with a term that I now understand was not clear. For the record, I'm not indigenous, I don't have indigenous status and I would not claim either of those.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
Okay.
Thank you very much, Mr. Genuis.
Next we go to another five-minute round for the Liberals.
Welcome, Mr. Drouin.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
My list says you are.
Does anybody else want to go? No?
I'm sure the Conservatives will take your time if you don't want it.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I will be pleased to speak in French.
Mr. Boissonnault, thank you very much for being with us today. I also thank you for the statement you made earlier.
You're here as a member of Parliament, but I also want to thank you for what you've done with respect to official languages.
I would like to give you a chance to respond to Mr. Genuis regarding what you said in the House and the interpretation that some Conservative members are making of it.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you very much, Mr. Drouin, for being here today.
When I was first elected as a member of Parliament, I tried to find a short term that reflected my family's indigenous origins and the fact that, personally, I have no indigenous ancestry. I'm not an indigenous person, and I've never claimed indigenous status. It wasn't easy to come up with a term like that. At the time, I created the term “non‑status adopted Cree”. However, it could have been clearer, and I apologized for that.
I'll say it again, because I want to make it very clear: I'm not an indigenous person and I'm not claiming indigenous status. However, I am part of a family that has just been granted citizenship in the Métis Nation of Alberta.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
The work done in caucus is not often televised, but there was an indigenous caucus within the Liberal Party and they had allies. In fact, I remember very well that you were part of it in 2016, as were other people who were not members of first nations, Métis or Inuit.
How important is it for you to have allies who are not indigenous to advance these issues within society?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I think we need allies and champions, Mr. Drouin.
When I became the member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre in 2015, I reached out to the indigenous caucus because I wanted to be an ally and become a champion for indigenous people.
In Edmonton, there's a very large presence of first nations, Métis and Inuit people. Since I was their representative in Parliament and one of the four MPs from Alberta at the time, I felt it was very important for them to be represented in a caucus as important as the indigenous caucus. It was in that spirit that I reached out to members of the indigenous caucus. I wanted their support and permission to sit as an ally in that caucus. That's what I did during my tenure.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I remember it very well. We don't usually discuss what's going on in our caucuses, but let me say this: There is always a period of time when we can put pressure on the Prime Minister. At that time, it was about reconciliation. A lot of money was promised in our platform. I understand very well why you were part of the caucus.
I want to go back to the picture that was posted in 2019. You are a member of the caucus and I'm aware that there was a mistake, but you corrected it in 2019.
To be honest, Mr. Boissonnault, I don't check all of my own party's Instagram posts. I have no idea what happened in 2015, I have no idea what happened in 2016 and I have no idea what happened yesterday. I have other things to do than look at my party's posts. I say that with all due respect.
When you saw the error involving you, you did correct it in the 2019 election.
Is that correct?
Liberal
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Boissonnault, it's not our custom to receive members of Parliament at parliamentary committee meetings to judge whether what they said was true or not.
Several members have made false statements, and they have not been asked to appear before a parliamentary committee. I want to thank you for your transparency and the time you've spent on this.
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Thank you very much, Mr. Drouin.
I thought it was important to update the facts and defend my reputation. I also want to mention that I remain a strong champion and ally of indigenous peoples.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
Thank you very much, Mr. Drouin. I appreciate that.
We're going to a two-and-a-half-minute round.
Welcome, once again, Ms. Sinclair-Desgagné. You have two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné Bloc Terrebonne, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Boissonnault, a number of people have heard you recount, and potentially romanticize, stories your great-grandmother told you as she peeled apples or stories she told you when you were young. In addition, we've heard you speak Cree at the beginning of speeches on a number of occasions.
Do you think for someone who doesn't claim to be an indigenous person, that kind of behaviour is recommended, or even advisable? Can this be associated with cultural appropriation?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
I hope that's not the case, because I've always done it in the spirit of sharing my personal stories.
I spoke with indigenous elders at the beginning of my term, and I remember a few people telling me that I was good at languages. They thought it was important for me to add words in the Cree language at the beginning of my speeches. It was in that spirit of reconciliation that I decided to do so.
Bloc
Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné Bloc Terrebonne, QC
In your opinion, that is not cultural appropriation for someone who isn't Cree. That's what you're saying today.
However, some people have said that this type of behaviour could be detrimental to reconciliation efforts, that is to say trying to romanticize a narrative that doesn't belong to you, since you don't claim to be indigenous.
Again, I leave it to first nations to decide what is potentially offensive to them.
My next question is on a more practical topic. It's the procurement program for indigenous businesses.
Do you think it would be a good idea to establish a registry created by first nations to identify true indigenous people and for that list to then be used by the government for programs, funds and contracts?
Do you think that would prevent this type of situation from happening again?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Ms. Sinclair-Désgagné, I can draw a parallel with my own expertise.
When I was an ordinary citizen, at the time, I took my company, which was wholly owned by me, through a certification process to become fully LGBTQ certified.
I think it's very important to have third-party agencies or organizations certify underrepresented groups. I think this committee can make very important recommendations so that the government knows full well which companies it can work with, and so that it ensures government funding is granted to companies from Indigenous communities.
Indeed, I think that's an idea worth exploring.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
I'm sorry; that's the end of this round. It's only two and a half minutes.
We go now to the NDP and Ms. Idlout for two and a half minutes.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]
Thank you, Chairperson.
When you are appearing before committees, what are you doing to correct all of the mistakes about your identity?
Liberal
Randy Boissonnault Liberal Edmonton Centre, AB
Ms. Idlout, I would be happy to meet with you separately and get your advice—