Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 10th, 2022

[Marg Friesen]

Absolutely, this is what we Métis are saying, “Nothing about us, without us”. We are saying that Métis need to be at the table to represent our people in a good way, in good faith, and we do have an open and good relationship with the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan. We are looking for opportunity, for inroads, so that we can begin the conversation and begin the distinctions-based approach to health care for Métis citizens.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

You have 14 seconds left, Mrs. Gill.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

All right.

Mr. Chair, I think Ms. Chartrand was having trouble—

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

I'm going to explain what to do.

Just before we go to the next person to ask questions, this is for Ms. Chartrand and Mr. Thom. In case you're not aware of it, there's a little icon that looks like a globe near the bottom centre of your screen, and if you press that, it will allow you to choose what language you want to hear. If you hit “English” when somebody is speaking French or Inuktitut, you will hear it in English. This is so that you can listen to the questions, because we have three languages here.

I see Mr. Thom understands it.

Are you with us, Ms. Chartrand? Good.

[Lee Thom]

Can I make a comment on the question? I think I can. I understood.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

If you do it very quickly.... Thank you, Mr. Thom.

[Lee Thom]

I'm sorry. I didn't understand the French and I didn't realize about that.

Following up on the comments that were made, the inequalities, we need to look towards the obligations in the Supreme Court decision in Daniels. That's where all the answers lie, I think: things that come out of the section 35 rights for Métis; and also for the Métis settlement specifically, the 2018 federal framework agreement that was signed with Minister Bennett, the minister of the day.

Communication is huge, and there is a lack of communication between Métis communities and governments like yours. The federal government needs to educate itself on the demographics of Métis people, and I believe we can all be at the table together to discuss important things such as health. There are so many more things to discuss, but I would like to see Ottawa and all governments be aware of the different demographics. That's huge.

That's everything. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you, Mr. Thom.

Ms. Chartrand, I see you have your hand raised. Do you want to speak?

[Frances Chartrand]

Yes, I also just want to make a comment. The question she was asking was about the reason Red River Métis citizens have been neglected by the Indian Act. If you look at the historical policies and you look at what's in place today, I think they're continuing to do that.

When you look at jurisdictional battles, a perfect example would be Jordan's principle and the programming they have. Think about that little first nations boy from Norway House who everyone was trying to fight for. Who was going to be responsible for him? He died in Winnipeg. If you think about the Métis people who are sick and need to see the doctor, who need to go for medical services, whose jurisdiction is that? We all need to work together towards a trilateral agreement for the betterment of Red River Métis citizens. We don't want to play political football anymore.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you, Ms. Chartrand.

We'll now go to Ms. Idlout, who has six minutes.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

First, I want to thank you for giving your presentation here and welcome you to the committee.

I welcome the Métis. You have to be involved, as you are indigenous as we are. We have benefits that you're entitled to. You too are indigenous, and there is no question about that. We fought for ours, and I understand that you have to fight for yours today.

Frances also mentioned Jordan's principle. Yes, we know Jordan's principle and we call it Bear Witness Day. I stood for that today in the House.

I want to ask you all a question. What would you recommend to be equal and to have the same recognition, just as Jordan's principle has forced aboriginal people to be recognized as such? What do Métis people need to be recognized legitimately and legally as indigenous people with the rights that they should have?

I would like the three of you to respond to that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you.

Perhaps we'll start with Minister Friesen.

[Marg Friesen]

Maarsii. Thank you for the question.

I think for Métis citizens in Saskatchewan, in order to be on an equal playing field, there needs to be a commitment from our federal partners with the Government of Canada and a commitment from our province to work together to build programs that are equitable for Métis citizens and Métis children. A lot of Métis children fall through the gaps and then they experience all the social determinants of health: poverty, lack of housing and lack of education. They're disconnected from their families, their roots and their communities. They're disconnected from the land we thrive on. I think it's really important that we come to the table as a partner, not only as a service provider but as a receiver, an equal partner.

I'd just like to turn it over to my colleague Mr. Panahi.

[Adel Panahi, Director, Health, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan]

Thank you, Minister Friesen.

What Métis want—and this is what I have from our people—is to have non-insured health benefits. Yes, Jordan's principle is important. We have had to deal with it. I receive a lot of calls from hospitals when they have a young mom there and a baby was just delivered and they are looking for a car seat. There are no car seats for Métis citizens because they don't have access to Jordan's principle. When they go to the social workers—the workers who provide Jordan's principle and the supports for indigenous people—Métis can't get those.

For non-insured health benefits, there was a question about what this inequity is from. I'd like to share a story from the honourable member Vidal's jurisdiction about a Métis cancer patient. The reason they die sooner than other people is that a Métis cancer patient, for example, had an appointment for chemotherapy and he was hitchhiking to get to his chemo because he wasn't able to get to the medical taxi that was available for first nations and he couldn't afford travel. It was from northwest Saskatchewan. This is the reality that we are seeing. What we want for our citizens in the Métis nation, across the homeland, is to have access to equitable, non-insured health benefits that are self-determined and self-governed by Métis governments.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you.

Minister Chartrand, did you wish to comment?

[Frances Chartrand]

Yes, please.

Thank you for the question.

What the Métis government in Manitoba wants—the Red River Métis—is ongoing funding. We're looking at A-base funding, constant funding, where we don't have to go back. We don't want partial agreements. We don't want one-year or two-year agreements. We want to make sure that the money is there and we can move forward.

In fact, for your information, we're the only Métis government that has won in the Supreme Court, and we have a land base. We won the Supreme Court hearing in 2013, so now we're working with the federal government to move forward. We referenced the Daniels decision quite a few times during the discussion today. It's our inherent right. We are recognized by the federal government. We want a nation-to-nation accord that ensures our Red River Métis citizens do not go without health care.

We just heard Adel talking about an example. We have citizens and babies who are going through a bunch of heart-wrenching disabilities, where parents have to pay out-of-pocket, where we have to do fundraising, where we have to count on the Métis government in Manitoba because the Province of Manitoba and the federal government are not listening to our pleas about making sure we have programs and services like the Inuit and first nations do. We want to go back to who we are and where we come from, and we want programs and services so we don't have to beg for money—beg for programs and services. We're a Métis government and we want a nation-to-nation accord to work together.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Mr. Thom.

[Lee Thom]

I'd love to answer that.

I have chronological steps for how we can work better and do better. The first thing is recognizing Métis people as section 35 rights holders. I think that's key, and everything else should follow.

Another thing is to identify and educate yourselves on all the affiliates that are available, or not available, in the word “Métis”—the different demographics of our communities. Inherent rights are all Métis rights and we all enjoy them, but when it comes to the demographics of the communities and different governance models, the Métis settlements are legislated in the province of Alberta. I think governments need to educate themselves on different affiliates so the money gets in the hands of the proper communities.

The funding will follow once we assert our rights, but governments need to educate themselves that Alberta is unique to Canada. It has eight Métis settlements, 9,500 members on a land base of 1.2 million acres, and legislated, fee-simple provincial land. That will separate us, but I don't ever come with the attitude that we're better. I think Métis people have inherent rights, and section 35 rights will secure those inherent rights. All we have to do is educate the government on how to split the funding.

I'll leave you with this: Leave no one behind. I think that's the key. Educate yourselves on everyone and leave no one behind, because the Métis settlements have been left behind for far too long. My hope is that we'll get a day where we're heard and represented in the federal budget.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Thank you, Mr. Thom.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say we'll do a second round if each speaker can speak to one person and each can do it all in a minute. That's the challenge I'm giving you, if you choose to take it up.

Mr. Vidal, do you wish to?

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Can you explain that to me again? I'm sorry. I think I misunderstood.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

Can you ask your question succinctly to one person?

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

We're to ask just one question and not take five minutes?

[The Chair, Liberal, Marc Garneau]

No, unfortunately, we're—

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Okay, fair enough. I understand where you're going now, Mr. Chair. Thank you. I won't start my clock. I'll be succinct.

Minister Friesen and Mr. Panahi, I appreciate your being here.

We heard from Cassidy Caron, the president of the Métis National Council. You refer to that and I'm going to summarize. She talked about medical transportation being an issue. You shared the tragic story. I know you represent 12 regions in Saskatchewan, mine being northern. Medical transportation is a big issue. You talked about having an existing system that you're trying to build.

Could you tell us how we can improve on that, in the context of non-insured health benefits? You're doing it on your own. How could that be improved so that we don't have people getting left behind from a transportation perspective, as in the story you shared? That is a tragedy.