Debates of May 9th, 2013

Indian Affairs and Northern Development—Main Estimates, 2013–14

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, many recommendations in the UN universal periodic review of Canada draft report asked that Canada develop a national action plan to address violence against aboriginal women. Will the minister commit to a national action plan?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, will the hon. member respect the will of the House and let the special committee do its work, make its recommendations and then allow the government to analyze them and take the proper steps that have to be taken?

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, will the minister use the power he has in his role to listen to what emerged from the UN periodic review and commit to a national action plan, yes or no?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, it is important, I believe, that we respect the will of the House, which has appointed a special committee to look into this issue. We shall let the committee do its work, listen to witnesses and stakeholders and then get the recommendations of the committee, which I can assure the hon. member, the government will consider diligently.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, does the department have benchmarks to measure progress in preventing violence against women?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, the issue of violence against women, as I have indicated, is a serious concern. Ending violence against aboriginal women is a priority for our government, and it is a shared responsibility of not only the federal government but the provincial and territorial governments and also civil society.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, if it is such a priority, how much funding is specifically set aside by the department to address violence against aboriginal women?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, action plan 2013 announced funding of $24 million over two years for the family violence prevention program, allowing my department to continue to offer its programming at a funding level of approximately $30 million in 2013-14. Another thing that could help these women and children would be the adoption of Bill S-2, the bill that would try to fill the gap that has existed in this country for too long.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, how much of that money is allocated for northern and remote communities?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, the $30 million that will be spent in 2013-2014 will be for the benefit of all first nations all across Canada.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, how does the funding for emergency shelters on reserve compare to funding for those off reserve?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, we have invested in about 41 shelters that exist all over the country. This network of 41 shelters has grown from 35 a few years ago as a result of the construction of five new shelters and the addition of an existing shelter in the Atlantic region to the list of department-funded shelters.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, is the minister saying that out of 633 first nations, only 41 first nations have emergency shelters on reserve?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, approximately 329 first nations communities are served by these shelters. In 2010-2011, approximately 3,143 women and 2,890 children accessed family violence shelters, and 270 proposal-based prevention projects were supported throughout Canada.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, how many of these shelters are operating at full capacity?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, some are operating at full capacity; others at less than full capacity. What is important is that the investment that has been made this year will again ensure that these programs can continue throughout Canada.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, out of these 41 shelters, how many are at full capacity?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, as I indicated, these shelters are there to meet the demand as it comes. Some are at full capacity, indeed. Others are at less than full capacity. The important thing is that these shelters are in place to serve these 329 first nations communities across Canada.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, clearly there are no real answers there, so let us move on to another question.

Does the minister acknowledge the disproportionate number of aboriginal women in prisons? Does he know what percentage of women in prisons are aboriginal?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, I do not have the exact number of aboriginal women in prison. I am sure that the Minister of Public Safety would be able to answer her question.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, the percentage of aboriginal women in prison is 33%.

How is the government addressing the overrepresentation of aboriginal women in prisons?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, not only is this a matter for the federal Minister of Public Safety, but as I said earlier, the problem of women in those circumstances is a shared responsibility of not only the federal government but the provincial and territorial governments and, indeed, civil society, as well.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, what percentage of funding for aboriginal economic development is going to women or organizations that serve and employ aboriginal women?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Chair, the department has an economic development program, which is in place and which benefits, without gender regards, all first nation members all across Canada.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Chair, we know that aboriginal women often live in greater poverty than aboriginal men.

The question is: In the aboriginal economic development program, what percentage of the funding is focused on engaging women in the workplace, or is there no focus on employing and training aboriginal women?