Evidence of meeting #137 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 businesses.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Jacques, for your opening statement.
I'll read from the National Post:
Cabinet minister's Cree great-grandmother claims were untrue, records show
For years, Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault spoke in Parliament and at public events of his great-grandmother as “a full-blooded Cree woman.”
The 54-year-old minister apologized last week for not having been “clear” about his heritage [but] he was often showcased by the Liberal party as an Indigenous MP.
The article goes on:
Questions surrounding Boissonnault's heritage emerged following a National Post report revealing that the business he co-owned called itself fully “Indigenous” and “Aboriginal-owned” as it tried to bid on federal contracts reserved for Indigenous businesses.
To me, it's terrible that anyone, let alone a sitting NDP-Liberal minister, would impersonate an indigenous person.
I see that your own community, the Abenaki community, has been battling indigenous impersonations, as well.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
I'm sorry. I'm going to stop the time here.
Go ahead on a point of order, Ms. Gazan.
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I know we're in politics and it's partisan, but it wasn't an NDP-Liberal minister. It was a Liberal minister. I'd like for him not to provide disinformation and to apologize and correct the record.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Ms. Gazan.
I'm going to turn the floor back over to Mr. Zimmer, but I'll remind all members to focus on using parliamentary language.
With that, Mr. Zimmer, you have four minutes and 45 seconds left.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
My first question is, how do you feel about a sitting NDP-Liberal minister, or Liberal minister—
Conservative
Liberal
NDP
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Sometimes people can be passive-aggressive. I would say that's passive-aggressive. He seems like an intelligent man. I don't think that was a mistake. I don't think anybody's stupid. I'd like him to behave in a way that shows a bit of diplomacy.
Again, I'd like him to correct the record. It was a Liberal minister. I'm not into game playing. We're talking about indigenous rights—about my people. I'd like him not to use this forum to play games, especially when it's about our rights.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you very much, Ms. Gazan.
Mr. Battiste, did you want to speak on the same point of order?
Liberal
Jaime Battiste Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
On the same point of order, former minister [Technical difficulty—Editor]
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
With all due respect to my Conservative colleague, I would like to point out this: Given that the formula generally used in the House by the Conservatives, when it comes to a witness from Quebec, is to say one thing in English, but another in French, it would be the Bloc-Liberal coalition, rather than the NDP-Liberals.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
We have to fix the interpretation.
Okay, we have multiple points of order.
Colleagues, look, I know we've seen a lot of each other in the last month, and I think we've done very well at getting through a lot of business and being respectful. We're almost through this. We're going to be done at 1:30 p.m., inshallah. Let's see if we can keep that same spirit of getting things done, working together and being respectful. In particular, let's be respectful to the witnesses in the time we have with them.
With that, Mr. Zimmer, you have four and a half minutes left.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Thank you, Chair. I'll repeat the question.
How do you feel about a former Liberal minister making false claims about being indigenous?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
I'm stopping the time again.
Mr. Hanley, go ahead on a point of order.
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
I want to correct my friend Mr. Zimmer.
There was never a claim by the former minister of being indigenous.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Patrick Weiler
Thank you, Mr. Hanley.
We're going back to Mr. Zimmer.
You have a little more than four minutes left here.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
It wasn't back to me. It was actually back to the witness to answer the question.
Could you answer that, please? I can repeat it, if you wish.
Advisor, Abénakis Band Council of Odanak
First of all, I want all of you to behave in this committee. I am the witness, and I would like to answer the question.
Now, the question is about indigenous identity.
I'm going to switch to French.
Identity fraud is a problem for us, especially when it is committed by a member of Parliament. I do not know parliamentary procedure, but the case I am thinking of is that of a member of the Liberal Party, a former minister who claimed to be indigenous, a false identity he said was based on the history of his ancestors. That is a problem for us. Abenaki people have been fighting identity fraud for more than 20 years. We see people who self-identify as indigenous to advance their careers, whether in politics or in the business world. They benefit because no one can validate or verify their claims. This is a phenomenon we are seeing more and more. At one time, my nation was affected by this phenomenon. In fact, one of Justin Trudeau's advisors, Suzie Kies, claimed to be Abenaki from my nation in Odanak. It was problematic, because she is not.
We are the sole protectors of our nation, culture and heritage, and we know who our members and descendants are, as do all communities across Canada. When someone self-identifies as indigenous, it becomes problematic, because it violates our rights. As indigenous people, we are subject to the Indian Act, which gives us a number and guides us in a fixed system.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Can I ask you two more quick questions?
I really appreciate what you just said.
How do you feel about a Liberal minister personally benefiting based on what we all know is a falsehood?
December 12th, 2024 / 11:25 a.m.
Advisor, Abénakis Band Council of Odanak
It is completely unacceptable to receive benefits while pretending to be indigenous, whether it is a federal or provincial member of the Liberal Party or any other party in Canada doing so. I do not want to be partisan, but in the case I alluded to earlier, the minister was a member of the Liberal Party, and he was caught red-handed.
Conservative
Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC
Can I ask you one last question? I think I'm just about out of time here.
How do you feel about the current government? We know this claim has been made, and you've acknowledged that. How do you feel about their covering it up for years?