Debates of May 9th, 2013

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

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

Mr. Chair, I have a lot of powers, but I have no crystal ball. All I know is that we are devoting important resources throughout the country, especially in western Canada and in British Columbia, to reach agreements with first nations. The new approach, which my predecessor announced in September, has as an objective to conclude, as rapidly as we can, more such agreements.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Chair, when does the government anticipate bringing the NunatuKavut land claim from Labrador to the House?

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

Mr. Chair, the hon. member should know that before a land claim is accepted, certain criteria must be met. The assessment of these is taking place as we speak. When that decision is made, we will be able to make an announcement.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Chair, in the 2013-14 main estimates, the income assistance program is reduced by $40.4 million. Is this because of the government's proposed harmonization of income assistance with provincial systems?

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

Mr. Chair, no, it is simply because we will ensure that the program is complied with throughout the country. We believe that with stricter compliance, if the conditions of the program are met and respected throughout the country, we will effect those savings. Therefore, it is not a cut, because the service will still be available to all first nations all across the country.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Chair, is the government not currently subject to an injunction regarding this proposed restructuring of social assistance until a court can hear the legal challenge later this year?

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

Mr. Chair, the fact of the matter is that in one part of Canada, the maritime provinces, there is an injunction in place preventing the application of the provincial rates to the first nations of those three provinces. As the matter is before the court, I will not comment any further.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Chair, before I begin, I would like to indicate that I will be speaking for 10 minutes and then posing tough but fair questions for the remaining five minutes.

Education represents our hopes and aspirations for the future of our children and their ability to succeed and make their mark in this world. First nations leaders, parents, educators and our government all share the same overarching goal, and that is to provide first nations students with quality education that allows them to acquire the skills they need to enter the labour market and be full participants in a strong Canadian economy.

Our government continues to invest in initiatives and programs that will improve literacy and math skills, teaching and on-reserve school infrastructure. Between April 2006 and March 2012, our government has provided funding to support the completion of 429 school projects, including the building of 36 new schools and 393 renovations and other school-related projects.

In 2011-12, our government provided $1.55 billion to support approximately 116,400 first nations elementary and secondary students. In addition, approximately $200 million was provided to first nations for the construction and maintenance of education facilities on reserve.

Economic action plan 2012 included an additional $275 million over three years to improve school infrastructure and education outcomes of first nations students. This investment includes $100 million to provide early literacy programming and other supports and services to first nations schools and students, and $175 million to build and renovate schools on reserve, providing first nations youth with better learning environments.

These additional funds are helping more first nations students get the education they need so that they can graduate and pursue the same opportunities available to all Canadian students. In economic action plan 2012, our government committed to exploring mechanisms to ensure stable, predictable and sustainable funding for first nations elementary and secondary education.

Despite the scale of these investments, more work needs to be done to improve education, literacy, graduation rates and post-secondary completion and to ensure that students have safe and secure learning environments.

For more than 40 years, first nations have requested greater control over first nation education, more parental involvement in decisions about their children's education, and better support for the promotion of first nations languages and culture.

At the same time, the call for legislation has been repeated in years of studies, audits and reports, including three major reports to Parliament: the 2011 report from the Office of the Auditor General; the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples 2011 report, “Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope”; and the 2012 report of the National Panel on First Nations Elementary and Secondary Education.

What rings true in all of these studies is that first nations children deserve an education system that is transparent and accountable and that achieves results. We all agree that the current system is not working. We recognize that there are challenges. For example, on-reserve schools are the only ones that do not benefit from overarching legislation. The current first nations education system does not include accountability requirements for educational outcomes. First nations are not legally required to spend federal education funding on education. Federal funding for first nations education is divided into many different programs, making the system bureaucratic and complex.

The moment has come to provide the foundation for the development of a strong first nation education system with enough flexibility to accommodate the needs and diversity of first nations communities.

Our government is working with first nations partners on a concrete agenda to improve graduation rates of first nations students. Our government has committed to work with first nations partners and other stakeholders to introduce a first nation education act and have it in place for September 2014, which would put into place standards and structures to improve accountability and educational outcomes for first nations children on reserve.

Of that $250 million announced in economic action plan 2012 for school infrastructure and programming, $115 million will be allocated in 2013-14. This includes $40 million to support early literacy and partnership activities. The strong schools, successful students initiative launched in October 2012 provides funding to education organizations to conduct self-assessments and to develop plans to improve their organization's capacity to deliver education services.

The 2013-14 main estimates allocation also includes $75 million in funding to support the commencement and continuation of priority school construction projects in selected communities. Economic action plan 2013 confirmed our government's commitment to consult with first nations on the development of a first nation education act, and we are determined to follow through on this commitment.

Over the last four months, our government has held intensive consultations on this proposed approach. Officials have been speaking with first nations chiefs, parents, teachers, principals, elders and community members across the country about the government's proposed legislative approach to first nation elementary and secondary education. Potential legislation would provide the modern framework necessary to build standards and structures, strengthen governance and accountability, and provide the mechanism for stable, predictable and sustainable funding, key ingredients to education success.

The proposed legislative approach would respect the historic treaties and current modern land claims and self-government agreements and legislation. Our government has held eight regional consultation sessions across the country and more than 30 video and/or teleconference sessions with first nations chiefs, educators, parents, teachers, elders, students and other community members. In addition, the department's website hosted an online survey and provided opportunities for individuals or organizations to submit comments online. We have received hundreds of responses.

During this phase of consultations, we heard about the importance of treaty rights, funding, and language and culture in the development of education legislation. We were given suggestions about the proposed legislative approach. Our government will also continue to have discussions with any first nation individual, organization or other stakeholder that wishes to receive further information on the proposed legislative approach.

Education is a shared responsibility. Parents, teachers and leaders all have roles. We must work together to help ensure that all first nations students have access to a strong, accountable education system in their communities. The result will be better outcomes for students at all grade levels so that all students have the skills and knowledge to reach their full potential and make positive contributions to their communities. That is why we remain committed to developing a first nation education act that allows first nation students to pursue the opportunities and prosperity they seek to succeed and make their mark in this world.

Now for the tough but fair questions.

I mentioned at the beginning of my speech that education represents our hopes and aspirations for the future of our children and their ability to succeed and make their mark in this world. First nations leaders, parents, educators and our government all share the same overarching goal: to provide first nations students with quality education that allows them to acquire the skills they need to enter the labour market and to be full participants in a strong Canadian economy.

Our government's economic action plan 2012 included an additional $275 million over the span of three years to improve infrastructure and the overall educational prospects of first nations youth. The main estimates have identified this increase in funding for education in 2013 and 2014.

Could the minister update the committee on how much we currently invest in kindergarten to grade 12 education for first nations youth?

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

Mr. Chair, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the member's important question. I welcome the opportunity to respond to this issue and explain how our government has been supporting K-12 education for first nation students.

We spend more than $1.5 billion annually to support approximately 117,500 first nation students. In last year's budget, as the member alluded to, we invested an additional $275 million for K-12 education, but shamelessly the two opposition parties voted against it.

We are also responding to the calls from the Auditor General, the Senate committee and a panel co-sponsored by the Assembly of First Nations for action to develop a first nation education act.

We are committed to exploring further mechanisms to ensure stable, predictable and sustainable funding for first nations elementary and secondary education.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Chair, as the minister mentioned, in economic action plan 2012 our government committed to exploring mechanisms to ensure stable, predictable and sustainable funding for first nations elementary and secondary education. Despite the scale of investments in K-12 education, we know more work needs to be done to improve education literacy, graduation rates and post-secondary completion, and to ensure students have a safe and secure learning environment.

Economic action plan 2013 confirmed our government's commitment to consult with first nations on the development of a first nation education act, and we are determined to follow through on this commitment.

What does the government hope to achieve with first nations education legislation, and how will this improve first nations education and graduation rates?

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

Mr. Chair, while we have made important investments in first nations education, we know that money is not the answer. That is why we are committed to making the structural changes needed to improve literacy and graduation rates and to ensure students have a safe and secure learning environment.

People should realize that first nation students are the only students in Canada whose education is not governed by comprehensive education legislation. A first nation education act would create the structures and standards to support strong and accountable education systems on reserve and provide a framework for improved school governance, while allowing communities to adapt the delivery of education to meet their unique local cultural need, and that is important.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Chair, in economic action plan 2012 our government committed to exploring mechanisms to ensure stable, predictable and sustainable funding for first nations elementary and secondary education. For more than 40 years, first nations have requested greater control over first nation education, more parental involvement in decisions about their children's education and better support for the promotion of first nations languages and culture.

At the same time, the call for legislation has been repeated in years of studies, audits and reports, including three major reports to Parliament: the 2011 report from the Office of the Auditor General; the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples 2011 report entitled “Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope”; and the 2012 report of the National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education. What rings true in all of these studies is that first nation children deserve an education system that is transparent, accountable and achieves results.

Could the minister describe the consultation that has taken place thus far on the first nations education act and let us know what we can expect next?

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

Mr. Chair, as the member knows, my predecessor announced the launch of this consultation in December 2012. The first phase has been completed. Consultations have taken place with first nations chiefs, parents, teachers, principals, elders and community members. The second phase to which we are also committed is to share with first nations a draft bill, which we will do in the next few months.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, right off the bat, I will tell you that I will use my 15 minutes to ask the minister questions.

First, I would like to come back to one of the questions asked previously. The minister spoke of 93 specific claims that have been resolved. However, what percentage of specific land claims have been denied since 2008?

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

Mr. Chair, we are very proud of the initiative that helped speed up the processing of the specific claims the hon. member is referring to. This policy and this new approach, which have been applauded by all of Canada's first nations, enabled us to unclog the system and resolve 93 of them. The work is ongoing, and we intend to continue in that direction.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, the response was evasive, but I have the answer here. I will set the record straight. According to the Assembly of First Nations, 88% of specific land claims have been denied since 2008.

Now, can the minister tell us how many homes in first nations communities do not have access to running water? It is a simple question.

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

Mr. Chair, as I said a number of times earlier, between 2006 and 2014, we will have invested over $1 billion to improve the water system on first nations land, which is part of an overall plan that includes looking at the infrastructure issue, as well as the issue of training people who look after these systems.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, he is still avoiding the question, but I have the answer. In April 2011, 1,880 first nation homes did not have running water and 1,777 homes reported having no waste water service

Could the minister tell us how many first nation communities are under a boil water advisory? The answer to this should be very simple.

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

Mr. Chair, the member clearly already knows the answer. I will simply say that many other municipalities in this country are under similar advisories. The measures we are taking are what is important. Every time we suggest investing money to solve the problem, he votes against the measure.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, 120 communities are under a boil water advisory.

Now, what does the minister estimate it would cost to update the waste water and drinking water infrastructure on reserves?

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

Mr. Chair, as I said earlier, we have a comprehensive plan to address the issues with water, water quality and waste water systems on first nation land.

It is odd that the member is so concerned about this, when last week he opposed our bill that would have implemented regulations to bring safe drinking water to the first nation communities.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, the answer is very simple. The estimated cost of upgrading waste water infrastructure is $4.7 billion.

In budget 2013, how much funding did the government set aside for water and waste water infrastructure, as well as funding for schools and housing, over the next 10 years?

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

Mr. Chair, the member just told us that it was $4.7 billion. I suppose he is dreaming about imposing his carbon tax, about taking $21 billion from Canadian taxpayers so his party can throw money at problems without actually addressing the real issue, which is structural.

[Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, NDP, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Chair, he is changing the subject. In fact, the answer is $7 billion. It is that simple.

According to the department's estimates, would that be enough to ensure that reserves' waste water and drinking water infrastructure complies with federal and provincial regulations?

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

Mr. Chair, we introduced a bill in the House of Commons that will allow my department and the Canadian government together with first nations across the country to adopt regulations that will ensure that the water in first nations communities is safe.

As I mentioned in the House earlier this week, this will certainly not happen overnight. However, what is important is that we have a comprehensive plan in place that will produce results.