Thank you, Chair.
As happened on Friday, I'll just quickly read the motion:
That the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs report to the House that it: (a) recognizes that the Chiefs of Ontario and the Attawapiskat First Nation are taking the federal government to court over the carbon tax; (b) recognizes the statement of the Chiefs of Ontario said the carbon tax is “discriminatory”, “anti-reconciliatory” and “has a disproportionate impact on First Nations”; (c) recognizes that the Liberal Government “refused to negotiate with First Nations in Ontario” and “refused to enter into good-faith conversations”, according to the Chiefs of Ontario; and (d) agrees with the Chiefs of Ontario, that First Nations should be exempt from the carbon tax.
I'd like to quickly speak to this.
For the committee to contemplate this important motion, I think it's important that we do what the Liberals were not prepared to do, which is to listen to the voices of the Chiefs of Ontario. In a press release dated November 30, 2023, the Chiefs of Ontario released the following statement regarding a judicial review it has filed on the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act:
Chiefs of Ontario and Attawapiskat First Nation have filed a judicial review today after Canada refused to negotiate with First Nations in Ontario to alleviate the discriminatory and anti-reconciliatory application of the Greenhouse Gas and Pollution Act...on First Nations. The [Greenhouse Gas and Pollution Act] established Canada's carbon pricing regime, which although designed to be revenue-neutral, has a disproportionate impact on First Nations and their members.
“First Nations see the reality of climate change every single day and expect Canada to address it. However, we do not accept a regime that creates new burdens on First Nations which already face deep infrastructure and economic challenges. Canada should be working with us to confront the climate crisis and close gaps on reserve instead of creating policy in an ivory tower that exacerbates the affordability issues our citizens face,”....
That was said by Grand Chief Abram Benedict. He holds the environment portfolio at Chiefs of Ontario, and he is also the Grand Chief of Akwesasne.
They state:
The [Greenhouse Gas and Pollution Act] is intended to effect change using price signals—moving consumers away from greenhouse gas-emitting fuels. First Nations face significant infrastructure and economic gaps making it difficult to transition to less carbon-intensive alternatives. First Nations, who already have higher poverty rates than the rest of Canada's population, are therefore forced to absorb these extra costs.
I'll go on to another quote from Chief Benedict. He says,“The Charge is not supposed to generate revenue for Canada, but when it's applied to us it does”.
I'll go on with another quote:
“We don't get the rebates and returns that other communities get and it's unfair”.
Chiefs of Ontario was mandated by all First Nations in Ontario to negotiate an end to carbon pricing on First Nations in a resolution that First Nations across Ontario passed with full consensus. However, Canada has refused to enter into good-faith conversations to resolve the harms caused by the carbon charge.
The carbon charge has applied to Ontario since 2019. Producers, distributors, and importers pay the charge to the federal government but then pass on the charge by way of higher prices to consumers. The GGPPA is designed to be revenue-neutral, with the money going back to the province of origin. Individuals and households receive 90% of collected charges back through the Climate Action Incentive Payment...(which is not readily [available] to First Nations) and 10% is returned through federal programs. Through these rebates, most households [allegedly] get more back than they pay.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that is not true.
They state:
However, that is not the case for First Nations. The Federal Government has pledged to return 0.7% of the total Charge proceeds from Ontario to First Nations communities in Ontario. This amount is insufficient given the increased costs of the charge on First Nations and their members.
I could go on, Chair. There is lots more to say on this issue, but we do see that there is significant importance to having this motion voted on, to have a conversation about it and to get an idea of where the committee is. Hopefully, they're in a position where they're willing to study this further and talk about the hardships that have been put on first nations by this government.
Thank you, Chair.