Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 29th, 2023

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Absolutely. I'm saying that the path you're taking from 2018 to 2022, according to APTN, means that indigenous women accounted for 65% of all female homicide victims.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Mr. Schmale, that's your time.

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

That's right, and this is an ongoing strategy. I've conceded that coming out of COVID, it is very conceivable that this situation has gotten worse. The awareness has also made it the case, and I think we have to be quite honest about what we're looking at, and the tragedy ongoing.

It doesn't mean that we lower our hands and we do nothing. There has been $2 billion dedicated to this. Dozens of shelters have been announced over the last couple of weeks. That is important, and that will save lives.

The groundbreaking investments we have made in settling litigation and fixing a broken system of children in care will change and save lives. It's just that it is extremely difficult to measure right now, and the change is brutally slow, particularly for families who are feeling the effects of it every day.

Again, it doesn't mean we drop our arms and give up. We have to continue, and we have accountability for it at the provincial and municipal levels as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Thank you. That's your time.

Mr. Battiste, you have five minutes.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Ministers, for your time in answering these questions.

When we come to INAN, we often talk about all the problems we've seen for over a century and sometimes for many generations going back, in terms of the systemic racism that's in place.

We've probably heard nothing worse than some of the discussions and some of the things that have come to light over the past three to four years on Indian residential schools, and in our work we're trying to ensure that we're doing everything we can to fulfill our obligations under the calls to action, especially around 72 and 76. I want to give the minister a chance to talk about some of the work that the department's been undertaking on that file.

As well, you mentioned that there was almost a $3 billion.... It's the Gottfriedson case. I didn't get the exact numbers. I just wanted to give you a chance to expand on what we're doing on the Gottfriedson case and why that is important.

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

Absolutely. Thank you.

Those are two very pertinent questions to the funding estimates that are contained in this year's document that you have before your eyes.

Two years ago, Kamloops announced the tragedy of the 200 suspected unmarked graves. Their community's still hurting. The conscience of Canadians was shocked and continues to be shocked as we see further announcements. At times it's almost daily.

Until then, communities were taking it upon themselves to scratch together funds to look for their lost ones. Despite modest investments to address calls to action 72 to 76, which deal with the locations of loved ones as well as the documentation of their lives lost, there had been insufficient funds allotted. I think it's important to be clear about that.

Going into the 2021 election, we announced several hundred million dollars to support communities that wish to search for their loved ones, as well as other affected communities. It was to support the meetings of elders, the gathering of documentation, and the search and disclosure of documents in order to make sure we are putting a better foot forward for people who are simply looking for answers. It was to give them a bit of closure and perhaps a bit of accountability. That takes expression in many forms.

It's notably in the funding for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, in a new building and with capacity funding, so there's a third party that's neutral to the federal government that will actually welcome survivors in a culturally sensitive space to get more answers or to support searches. There are about 100 searches going on around the country. For the Crown-Indigenous Relations portion of the money, that represents over $100 million.

There's money that comes from Indigenous Services Canada, Infrastructure and other sources. At times it's to rebuild—or tear down, even—old sites that communities have wanted to get rid of and out of their minds so they can rebuild anew and so kids in particular can have a place to look forward to going to, if it's a training or health centre, or anything that the community would want.

That work is ongoing. It is not close to being over. Nor should it be, necessarily. It's work that we'll gladly support in the coming years.

On the Gottfriedson class action, members will note that there's about $3 billion that has been attributed to what has been called the fifth piece of the residential school puzzle that the federal government is responsible for. It has been called by many observers and journalists some of the last pieces of the large puzzle dealing with residential school litigation and reconciliation. It deals with the collective trauma that occurred to communities' language and culture over decades. It contemplates a historic sum placed into trust, which should be done relatively shortly, as we wait for the expiration of an appeal period.

That money, the $3 billion, has been allocated to be put into that trust mechanism. It will be run by indigenous people for indigenous people for the conceivable future, as they try to revitalize their languages and support cultural events in their own communities.

Those are two very large pieces of the estimates you're looking at. I think everyone here would agree that they're well worth it.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Thank you, Minister.

There were several Indian residential schools all across Canada. I know you've done a lot in going out to meet with the communities in these areas to talk about the next stage in these areas where such tragedies happened.

I'm wondering if you can go a little into what you're hearing from the communities about what they would like to see from the federal government, and what response we have in terms of after the searches are done and the work has been done to find the truth in these grounds. What are the communities asking for? What are the indigenous leaders asking of you for the next phase of what we're doing about these sites, which aren't, in a lot of places, properly commemorated?

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

I'm going to note, Mr. Battiste, that your time is up, but I would like to hear this response.

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

Certainly, commemoration, which has been done, in part, imperfectly at times.... There's work that Heritage will be supporting in the near future to make sure that there's proper commemoration for all Canadians to consider these things.

However, what you often hear from survivors is a lot of hope, not sort of unbridled.... There are still clear distrust words with the federal government, but you hear a lot of hope that what we're doing now will not be reproducing the model that got them where they are in the first place, and that it will be one that is focused on their own needs and the needs of their children. Whether they see the building of schools or health centres, or a proper commemoration, it's all an attempt to address elements of closure and accountability.

Some elders are speaking for the first time. It takes a whole heck of a lot of courage. Some will suffer in silence the rest of their days for very legitimate reasons. There are nuanced opinions and views as to how this process that we are all in as a country represents those, so I don't want to betray it by generalizing, but I see a lot of hope. It's hope that has to come with proof.

Anyone willing or wanting to run this country has to make the commitments that this government has made, and perhaps even more, if they want to gain the confidence of Canadians and the respect of those elders.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Thank you, Mr. Battiste.

Now we go to Mrs. Gill, for two and a half minutes.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Vandal, I'd like to talk about food sovereignty in the north more broadly. As Mr. Schmale pointed out, nutrition north Canada doesn't have clear and specific targets. I realize you want to help as many people as possible, of course, and keep improving how you do things, but people are being overlooked. Are you planning to set clear targets? It's always possible to do better, but we don't know how much farther there is to go, perfection being the ultimate goal.

We also talked about the burden that falls on communities. I have been on the ground. People don't have fresh produce, deliveries never make it and prices are through the roof. A can of coffee can cost $50 in northern communities. That's just the first example that comes to mind.

I know that millions of dollars are being allocated and that reviews are done from time to time, but it may be necessary to overhaul the entire nutrition north Canada program. People often tell me they wish the businesses weren't running the program, so people could have more money in their pockets. They're worried that money is disappearing somewhere, and they wish that money was in their pockets instead of the businesses'.

Would it be possible to overhaul the current program, to set clear targets and establish a plan that genuinely includes other departments, as we talked about earlier? Would that help tackle the problem? I realize greenhouse and other initiatives have been undertaken, as mentioned, but it's going to take more than just a few million dollars in funding with the skyrocketing price of food.

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

Thank you very much for that important question.

First, in response to your question about targets, I would say that we are working on that with our indigenous and northern partners. It's indicated on page 35 of the departmental plan. This is a very important conversation, one that goes beyond a single program like nutrition north Canada. We have to sit down not only with the other departments, but also with the other governments to tackle the important issue of northern food security.

On our end, we are doing what we can through nutrition north Canada. We are partnering with communities and schools on programs in an effort to broaden our outreach and support. The harvesters support programming is one example. An issue as significant as this certainly warrants a broader response.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Thank you, Mrs. Gill.

Ms. Idlout, you have the floor for two minutes and 50 seconds.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Qujannamiik.

I have three big questions in two minutes and 50 seconds, so maybe what I will do is ask the first two questions and maybe ask them to be given back in written form, and then I'll give an opportunity for the third question to be responded to here.

My first question is on Arctic sovereignty. This government has committed to major spending toward military equipment in the Arctic. Arctic communities face a major security threat. Rapid coastal erosion and melting ice are opening the Northwest Passage. This will bring illegal fishing, leaks from cargo ships, and strains on local search and rescue capabilities.

Can the minister push for a national defence policy that protects and supports our Arctic communities? That's the first question.

The second question is on the Canadian Rangers. We know they are the front line of defence in the far north. At a time when this government is investing more and more in Arctic sovereignty, Arctic security, the equipment usage rate for the Canadian Rangers has not been increased to keep up with inflation. When will this government increase the equipment usage rate and improve the process for Canadian Rangers to get their reimbursements? I have been told that it takes a very long time, sometimes upwards of six months, for Canadian Rangers to get their reimbursements.

The third question that I would love a response on is on children aging out of care. We know that Canada's residential schooling system was a huge genocidal policy that still has impacts to this day. It's well known that the foster care system and the child apprehension system are another form of that, and there are a huge number of first nations, Métis and Inuit children who are going to age out of care.

What will this government do to ensure that those children who are aging out get the housing they need, so that they can feel safe after they have left the system?

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

I recognize there's not a ton of time left, but we will work with our teams to get you answers on the first questions, on Arctic sovereignty and the rangers.

During COVID, there were a number of measures that were extended for kids who were aging out of care, and we just saw the benefit of what it could produce. There are currently negotiations ongoing as we deal with the reform in long-term care, with the Caring Society, the AFN and the Chiefs of Ontario, among others, as part of the resolution of the class action into children in care.

I can't share with you a number of those initiatives right now, but I venture to think that they will be positive as we address the critical element of people who are coming to adulthood and therefore aging out of care. Those people are vulnerable, and they need the support of the Government of Canada. It is not an uncomplex situation, particularly given the extreme needs in housing, but we could do better with them.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Thank you very much, Minister Vandal, Minister Miller and your officials, for joining us this afternoon. I think you can tell our committee is very passionate about supporting indigenous communities and their needs.

We will briefly suspend as we set up for our second panel.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

We're good to go.

Welcome, Minister Hajdu. You have eight minutes for your opening statement. Welcome to your officials as well.

You can begin now.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Kwe kwe. Ullukkut. Tansi. Hello. Bonjour.

As we all know, Canada's Parliament is located on the unceded and traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.

Thank you for having me back here to speak to the main estimates for Indigenous Services Canada.

As I begin my remarks today, I'm reflecting on the many first nations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, the Northwest Territories, New Brunswick and most recently Nova Scotia, who are all facing incredible and heartbreaking challenges this wildfire season. I've had many early-morning and late-night calls from leadership. What they're going through right now is truly devastating.

We know that wildfires are happening more frequently because of climate change and that first nations communities, which are often located in remote areas, are on the front lines.

The community leaders I've been speaking with are all focused primarily on protecting lives first of all, supporting their members in temporary and fragile evacuee situations, and of course working throughout night and day to save the infrastructure that they can. Last week I received a photo from Chief Conroy Sewepagaham of Fox Creek in Alberta, showing his crew of firefighters and first responders. Crews had been working around the clock in every location, coordinating evacuations, fighting fires and supporting members to keep people safe.

For as long as we need to, we will continue to support evacuations and the protection work to ensure that community members are safe and will be there for the long term as communities begin to plan and rebuild through the emergency management assistance program. However, these challenging situations illustrate the importance of self-determination and the ongoing efforts of work with first nations leadership and the provinces and territories to rapidly transform emergency management service agreements, particularly in Alberta and Ontario.

I would like to highlight the current concerns of the community of Kanesatake. We are in contact with Grand Chief Bonspille, and the band council has found ways to mitigate the environmental impacts and potentially restore the site. On Thursday, I will be meeting with Minister Lafrenière and Grand Chief Bonspille to discuss solutions, because I am also very concerned about the project's impact on the community.

The real success in managing climate-related disasters and environmental concerns will come when we work in partnership with indigenous peoples. The days of the federal or provincial governments dictating how to manage a crisis with an “Ottawa knows best” approach are increasingly over. First nations are increasingly taking on services and programs as we look at new, more flexible funding agreements that allow them to make the choices that are right for their communities. The outcomes are better. Communities have the knowledge of their lands, members and solutions, which are often more effective and less traumatic than the ones that were imposed in the past.

The main estimates that I'm here to speak to today reflect the ongoing work that's required to make historic change in our relationships with indigenous peoples. Together, we are doing the hard work of changing colonial structures, building meaningful relationships and ending the generations of racist and discriminatory policies. Since 2015 we've made significant distinctions-based investments and supported communities and partners with the delivery of service and community infrastructure needs. COVID, the supply chain and workforce shortages have indeed had an impact, but we're doing everything we can to support partners and to continue to make these changes that increase the successes of leaders, communities and indigenous peoples.

Within this context, the main estimates for fiscal year 2022-23 for the department are $39.6 billion. This amount doesn't include additional approvals or funding from budget 2023. These will be accessed through future estimates. Through these main estimates, we will build on the billions of dollars in significant investments made since 2015. We will continue essential work with indigenous partners in such priority areas as health, child and family services, education, infrastructure, the environment, economic development and governance.

For the upcoming year, in partnership with indigenous peoples, the department will focus on priorities that are linked to six service areas.

The first area is health, where planned spending amounts to $5.4 billion. The overarching shared goal is to ensure that indigenous people have access to quality, culturally safe health care. A new $2-billion, distinctions-based indigenous health equity fund will support communities to work on improving equity and access to health care and to improve health outcomes.

First nations children deserve the best start in life, including well-funded family and child services, education and the supports required to be successful in their education. Included in these estimates is $25.4 billion in spending on children and families. This amount includes funding set aside for the revised final settlement agreement to compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the first nations child and family services program and the federal government's narrow definition of Jordan's principle.

It also includes funding for income support services, continued implementation of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's orders and continued implementation of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families.

As I mentioned at my last appearance, we've signed seven agreements across Canada to date, in four provinces, to coordinate child and family services, and we expect more to be concluded soon. Over 200 communities are working toward developing their own laws and policies, and we're supporting that work.

There is $3.5 billion to support indigenous education that is also built into these estimates to ensure that first nations children get the best start, that first nations have control over their students' education, and that students are able to learn indigenous languages.

This money continues our work to end the discriminatory funding upheld by previous governments with short-sighted policy that undermines the excellence of the next generation of innovators and workers.

Also included is funding for post-secondary education to support about 24,000 students annually.

There is $4.2 billion included in the estimates for infrastructure and environment. This amount will move forward meaningful progress on safe drinking water, housing, buildings and renovating school facilities.

There are also investments to advance self-determination. There is $262 million earmarked to support economic development that will create wealth and prosperity, and another $585 million will support indigenous governance and capacity supports.

At Indigenous Services Canada, we are working to close the gaps that have existed since the beginning of our relationship with indigenous peoples. This work is not easy. It is not inexpensive. However, it is overdue, and it's the right thing to do.

I'm sure that members are all committed to the vision and hard work of reconciliation. I welcome your questions.

Meegwetch. Qujannamiik. Marsi. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

Thank you very much, Minister.

We'll move to our first round of questions, beginning with Mr. Vidal for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Minister and your team for being here.

I want to echo your comments about the support to the communities dealing with the forest fire situations. As you and I spoke about last week, many of those are in my riding in northern Saskatchewan. I wanted to echo those comments.

When I was first elected in 2019, I visited the community of Denare Beach. At that time, it was brought to my attention that the community was owed a significant amount of money by the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.

To put it in perspective, the population of Denare Beach is about 800 people. Part of their community consists of the Amisk Lake reserve and some properties that are connected right in the community. There are 37 of these properties out of a total of about 500 in the whole community.

PBCN and the Village of Denare Beach have a service agreement that includes water and sewer, fire, animal control, street maintenance, recreation, garbage and recycling, etc. In essence, it's an agreement that takes care of property taxes and other services.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

I'm sorry, Mr. Vidal. There's a point of order.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm really having problems with my audio. I hear an echo when I speak, and I didn't get the interpretation of anything Mr. Vidal just said.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jenica Atwin]

We're going to briefly suspend, so we can ensure that interpretation is resumed.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Audrée Dallaire]

Mrs. Gill, let's do a few tests. I'll say a few words in English, and you tell me whether you can hear the French interpretation.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Yes. Thank you.