Evidence of meeting #25 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Christine Smith-Martin Executive Director, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
I certainly am.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
That's great.
Welcome, Ms. Smith-Martin. It's great to have you out. We have Mr. Kariya alongside you. I will leave it up to you two to present for five minutes.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Jean-François Pagé
Excuse me, please, do you have a headset?
Executive Director, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
I have AirPods.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Do you have a microphone with those, Ms. Smith-Martin, that you can actually move up to your mouth?
Executive Director, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
No, I don't. I can move this to my mouth. Is that a bit better?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
We can try that, if that's all you have. We'll do the best we can. It's just that the interpreters might have a bit of a problem hearing you and, therefore, interpreting. Do the best you can.
Go ahead.
Executive Director, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
Okay. I'll hold it as close as I can. Thank you.
We'd like to thank the standing committee for the invitation to participate in your important study to understand how targeted infrastructure investments can better influence and impact social, economic and environmental outcomes, with a particular emphasis on rural connectivity.
We commend the committee on bringing indigenous voices into the targeted infrastructure discussion, particularly—
Bloc
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
The interpretation isn't working.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Ms. Smith-Martin, we're going to have a problem with the interpretation, because they can't hear you coming through.
Mr. Kariya, do you have a headset?
Senior Policy Advisor, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
I do. Is there no other way to do this?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Unless Ms. Smith-Martin has a headset....
Mr. Barsalou-Duval, go ahead.
Bloc
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
I switched to the French channel and I can't hear the interpretation when you and Mr. Kariya are speaking. The problem may go beyond Ms. Smith-Martin not having a headset.
Liberal
The Clerk
Certainly, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Barsalou-Duval, a number of people were speaking at the same time, so that's why the interpretation stopped. It should be working now.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
Thank you, Mr. Barsalou-Duval.
Without a headset, Ms. Smith-Martin, the interpreters can't pick up what you're saying and, therefore, we can't translate .
Mr. Kariya, are you able to make the presentation? I see that you have a headset.
Senior Policy Advisor, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
Yes, I could do so.
Liberal
Executive Director, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
That's okay. Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Vance Badawey
Thank you.
Mr. Kariya, go ahead. You have about four minutes left on the timer.
Senior Policy Advisor, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
Thank you, Mr. Chair. You have my apologies for the challenges we face.
We commend the committee on bringing indigenous voices into this targeted infrastructure discussion, particularly because, for senior governments, programs are often targeted at indigenous communities yet all too often we are left out of sharing our valuable insights and lived experiences with your programs and policies, and our perspectives on the delivery of programs intended to address essential infrastructure gaps within these traditional territories.
The Coastal First Nations is an alliance that includes the Wuikinuxv, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xaixais, Nuxalk, Gitga’at, Metlakatla, Old Massett, Skidegate and Council of the Haida Nation, with approximately 20,000 members.
For the past two decades, the Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative has charted a course that has strengthened the connections between our communities, our environment and our economies. Choosing our future means planning and taking actions that will result in the kinds of communities we want to live in and pass on to our children and to our grandchildren.
We are pleased that you recognize the importance of high-speed Internet and transportation networks throughout our region, as they are catalysts for economic reconciliation through expanding investment opportunities, well-being and self-determination.
Transportation access and high-speed Internet remain priority areas for our member nations, with connectivity being a foundational component of B.C.'s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, DRIPA, Bill 41. Many Coastal First Nations communities are accessed only by ferry or plane transportation, so affordable access is critical and high-speed Internet is foundational for our resiliency.
Meaningfully addressing the indigenous digital divide requires political will and a courageous cross-governmental call to action to address long-standing policy, funding and regulatory issues serving as barriers to achieving our mutual goals. Leadership must include a sustained community engagement effort to regularly inform the design, criteria, timing and delivery of targeted infrastructure funding programs and a range of capacity planning supports that directly meet communities' digital priorities.
For Coastal First Nations, this includes our world-renowned science, research and stewardship initiatives, the guardian watchmen programs, our conservation economy, carbon credit offset priorities, language and cultural revitalization, clean energy transition, traditional food security needs, and high-value nation trade and investment export opportunities such as seaweed, kelp, herring and fish.
We are taking responsibility for our leadership role and investing our time in identifying our connectivity needs and working with all partners to find solutions. However, we continue to operate at a digital disadvantage, excluded from the basic online services and supports most Canadians take for granted. Funding is critical and it is needed, so we commend you for that commitment with the universal broadband fund and other infrastructure programs that have been delivered.
Given the timing and short turnaround for the UBF, many Coastal First Nations communities could not apply. They were too overwhelmed in addressing COVID impacts. The federal and provincially funded Connected Coast transport network is going to be completed by March 2023, and communities are eager to be connected through that investment. However, without capacity supports for nation-led last-mile digital preparedness, the community benefits may not be realized.
Targeted infrastructure investments that aim to prioritize the needs of indigenous communities must address the long-standing policy, regulatory and funding barriers that, after decades of study and dialogue, still exist at the federal level outlined in various previous studies. Access to passive infrastructure like hydro poles is still a major barrier to accelerate the deployment of high-speed and Coastal First Nations plans to address this issue.
Senior Policy Advisor, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative
For the nations, access is within reach, but there are still barriers to catalyzing these first nations-led job creating opportunities and to having this necessary connectivity. The pandemic has highlighted for us now how critical investment in telecommunications infrastructure is, not only for Canada's recovery but also for the rollout of the next generation of mobile services enabling Coastal First Nations to innovate and expand global stewardship.
We are ready to unlock and unleash indigenous digital potential.
Thank you very much.