House of Commons Hansard #213 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

Topics

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, if you will give me a second, I can check the budget for consultations.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, I can give him the answer.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, if she knows the answer, why is she asking the question?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, it is obvious that he is not familiar with his files. The minister should know that the answer is zero.

How many times has the minister met with the Matawa First Nation in northern Ontario regarding the ring of fire mining proposals? Has the minister met with the province of Ontario to communicate the importance of considering its vision in the development of any provincial plan?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, for the sake of correcting the record, as the member can see in the main estimates, my department is spending $26.3 million on consultation and policy development in 2015-16. Contrary to the member's suggestion, that is the situation. There are indeed funds for consultation.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, obviously, the minister does not want to answer the question about the Matawa First Nation.

How many first nations have submitted their own MRP laws and how many have been approved by the current government?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, many first nations were, indeed, pleased to see, finally, although the Liberals opposed the measure, that matrimonial property rights have been accorded to couples and people living on reserve with children.

Right now, we have six first nations that have passed their own law under the act in question.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:50 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, obviously, he still does not know how many have submitted their own MRP laws, but I can tell the House that first nations communities, like Whitefish River First Nation and Kahnawake, are frustrated with the government challenging their MRP law submissions. The government admits there are discrepancies in AANDC's membership list.

Could the minister tell us when was the last time the data on band membership was collected that the government is using on which to base decisions?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, I would like to come back to the issue of matrimonial property laws. Those first nations which are, as the member put it, not happy with the decision is simply because they have not done it in compliance with the act in question. As soon as they comply with the act, and if they meet the conditions under the act, their own laws would be registered and published as provided by the act.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, I have a letter dated May 4, 2015. It basically says that there is likely a discrepancy between the records of AANDC and the ones of the first nation, so obviously the minister is not aware that there are discrepancies within his department on the membership list.

Does the department have benchmarks to measure progress on preventing violence against women?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, as the hon. member may know, there was a round table that was held in February among stakeholders, the national organizations, the provinces, territories, and the federal government along with representatives of the families of the victims. A framework was agreed upon which will measure the results of the initiatives that are taking place right now.

As the hon. member may also know, the RCMP has undertaken to keep its records and data up to date, and we should expect a report in the spring in that regard.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, how much money did the minister allocate to fight violence against women? How much of this money is intended for prevention?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, as indicated in the main estimates, in 2015-16 we plan on investing more than $20 million to help prevent domestic violence. Naturally, we will combine this with monies provided by the economic action plan that were announced by the Minister of Status of Women in September in order to address the issue of violence against aboriginal women and girls.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, how much of that will go to northern communities?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, as for knowing how much will be allocated to northern Canada, I do not have the breakdown of the sums available. I can confirm that most of those funds will be allocated to the projects for which we receive applications. Accordingly, if Inuit communities apply for projects, they will be considered on the same basis as all other aboriginal groups in Canada.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Chair, I will go to a question that was kind of posed by my colleague from Timmins—James Bay a little bit earlier, and it is with respect to children in care.

Can the minister advise how many aboriginal children are apprehended each day in Manitoba?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

10:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bernard Valcourt Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Chair, the hon. member does not seem to appreciate the fact that the law applicable to child and welfare services in Manitoba is a provincial law. It is the law of Manitoba that applies. Manitoba has delegated its authority over child and welfare services to certain agencies. Manitoba would be in a much better position to answer that question than I.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11 p.m.

Conservative

The Deputy Chair Conservative Barry Devolin

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Macleod.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Chair, our government is focused on creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadian families. That is why we are proud to work with willing partners on initiatives leading to greater self-sufficiency and prosperity for first nations and communities.

Education is perhaps the most important element in achieving this goal. A good education provides the keys to open the doors to opportunity and success for individuals and communities alike.

Our government continues to ensure that first nations children living on reserve receive the same access to quality education as every other Canadian child and that they are given every opportunity to become full participants in Canadian society. That is why between 2006 and 2013 we increased education funding to first nations by more than 25%.

We have also made additional investments in education infrastructure, the schools and facilities students need to be successful. Since being elected, our government has invested more than $850 million in on-reserve education infrastructure projects. These funds have enabled first nations to complete more than 572 infrastructure projects, including 41 new schools and 531 other school projects, including major renovations to existing facilities.

Through budget 2012, we invested an additional $175 million for the construction of new schools. Moreover, just this past year the Prime Minister announced an investment of $500 million over seven years in the new education infrastructure fund. Economic action plan 2015 reasserts this commitment and would add an additional $200 million to this fund.

Investments from the education infrastructure fund will also be used to develop a training and education program for first nations to support operations and maintenance activities in schools.

Investments from these funds have already begun. In fact, just last week we announced that our government will be investing some of this money in the construction or major renovation of 11 schools in first nations communities across Canada. These projects represent the first phase of investments from the education infrastructure fund. That is in addition to announcements made this spring addressing school infrastructure needs in four northern Manitoba communities.

As a member of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the issue of aboriginal education is of particular importance to me. In fact, a few months ago, I was absolutely honoured to join my friend and colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, as we made a significant announcement about the construction of the new Crowfoot School on the Siksika First Nation in my riding of Macleod.

Our government has also provided funding for education infrastructure in the Whitecap Dakota First Nation in Saskatchewan. Funding provided to the first nation will serve to renovate the Whitecap Elementary School and will include the addition of two new classrooms for students from kindergarten to grade four.

Our government will also be providing support for the construction of the off-reserve Stonebridge school, also in Saskatchewan, for students in grades five to eight.

With these 11 school projects—five new schools and six renovations—we are making a difference in the lives of more than 1,000 first nations students across this country from kindergarten up to grade 12. These projects will help first nations students have a first-class learning environment. This will allow them to learn the skills and lessons they need to enter the labour market. These are investments in the futures of first nations children and in the futures of their communities.

Economic action plan 2015 would build on the government's investment in the construction and renovation of schools on reserve by providing $200 million over five years, starting in 2015-16.

Construction sites create more than just new schools. They also create jobs. They also create an opportunity for young people to learn marketable skills that will help them succeed in the careers of their choosing. During the construction of these schools, wherever possible, contractors and subcontractors will seek to create jobs and training opportunities for local community members.

Mr. Chair, we are not just making investments in education infrastructure. Our government believes first nations students deserve access to the same quality education as all other Canadian students. To that end, we have contributed nearly $12 billion toward aboriginal education programs since we were elected. Certainly, this funding pays for the construction and renovation of schools, but it also covers the wages of teachers and coaches, and pays for books, computers and sports equipment. Perhaps more importantly the landmark first nations control of first nations education act represented a real and concerted effort to improve education outcomes for first nations youth on reserve. While we are disappointed the Assembly of First Nations was not prepared to accept our offer, our government remains committed to improving educational outcomes on reserve.

We remain a committed partner in first nations education reform and look forward to opportunities to work with first nations that are interested and able to pursue education reform, including through co-operative self-government agreements.

A quality post-secondary education is often the key to getting a good quality job. Our government is working to ensure first nations and Inuit students have access to an education that encourages them to stay in school, graduate and get the skills they need to succeed in the labour market. That is why our government proposes to provide $12 million over three years to Indspire. This would provide post-secondary scholarships and bursaries to first nations students. At least $1 million of this amount will be devoted to supporting students pursuing an education in the skilled trades. This is absolutely critical because skilled trades are desperately needed in Alberta and across Canada.

Since its launch, lndspire has provided scholarships to more than 2,200 first nations and Inuit students on an annual basis. It has also attracted significant support from a wide range of corporate donors, with new investments that will extend the availability of scholarships to thousands more first nations and Inuit youth. Our government, first nations communities and young adults all agree that first nations youth must have the same opportunities as all Canadians to find, keep and enjoy the benefits of a good-paying job. This is why, by making key investments in 2013, our government helped to provide personalized jobs and skills training to more than 4,000 first nations youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who were on income assistance. Participants in that program have access to a wide range of services and programs aimed at increasing their job prospects and supporting them as they move on to the workforce. These services and programs include basic life skills, literacy training, skills training and career counselling

Our government wants to ensure first nations, Inuit and Métis students graduate from high school with the skills and abilities they can put to work in their communities and the Canadian economy. This is absolutely vital to the long-term well-being of communities and Canada's continued prosperity. Our government understands that truth very clearly. Unlike the opposition parties who voted against both structural reform and additional investment, our government is actively working towards this goal.

I would like to ask my esteemed colleague, the parliamentary secretary, a few questions, if I may.

As I spoke earlier in my speech, I know that our government believes that first nations youth deserve access to the same quality education as all other Canadian students. I also know that we are providing the funding to back us up on this belief. As I mentioned earlier in my speech, the parliamentary secretary was in my riding earlier this year to announce funding for a new school to replace the Crowfoot school in the Siksika First Nation. This is absolutely critical funding to replace an education facility in a rebuilding community that was devastated by the floods in 2013.

Could the parliamentary secretary inform this committee of the whole exactly how much money our government has invested in education programming for aboriginal people?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11:05 p.m.

Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon B.C.

Conservative

Mark Strahl ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for his contribution to the aboriginal affairs committee. He is the newest elected member on our committee, the new guy, but he certainly jumped in with both feet and has made a valuable contribution already.

I was so pleased to be on the Siksika First Nation with him and the chief and council to announce $8.9 million in federal funds toward the new Crowfoot School, which will provide space for 300 students from kindergarten to grade 6. There is great leadership by the first nation, which is certainly matched by our minister and our government.

As the member suggested, this government is committed to ensuring that first nations students receive the same quality education as all other Canadian students. Since we were elected, the government has invested approximately $10 billion for kindergarten to grade 12 education for nearly 110,000 first nations students annually. Over the same period, our government invested approximately $2.5 billion for post-secondary education programming for approximately 22,000 first nations and Inuit students annually.

Additionally, economic action plan 2015 proposes to invest $200 million over five years to support the continuation of the strong schools, successful students initiative to support early literacy programming, services and partnership with provincial school systems, and $12 million over three years to support Indspire for post-secondary scholarships and bursaries for first nations and Inuit students.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Chair, I also want to mention that Chief Vincent Yellow Old Woman and the council in Siksika were extremely pleased with that funding, and they are very excited to have the Crowfoot School construction begin as soon as possible.

I know it is the practice of this government to work in collaboration with willing first nations partners. We know that these partnerships are absolutely essential to making progress on a number of first nations-related files, including education.

Could the parliamentary secretary share with this committee how our government is working with first nations and provinces to bolster education programming on reserve and, ultimately, improving education programs?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC

Mr. Chair, the member is exactly right. Our government works closely with willing partners to provide first nations and Inuit students with a quality education and, ultimately, the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to enter the labour market and be full participants in a strong, prosperous Canadian economy.

Since 2008, our government has signed eight tripartite education memorandums of understanding in addition to those pre-existing arrangements in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, which establish partnerships among first nations, provincial ministries and Canada. These partnerships focus on the sharing of resources and practices to promote the smooth transition of first nations students between education systems, to strengthen results and improve student outcomes.

Economic action plan 2015 proposes to invest $200 million over five years for the continuation of the strong schools, successful students initiative, as I mentioned earlier. We believe that by working together, we can provide better outcomes for first nations students.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Macleod, AB

Mr. Chair, I also wanted to touch on the first nations control of first nations education act. Last year, our government introduced Bill C-33. This bill would have established a framework for first nations education. It would have created minimum standards for educators on reserve, ensured that students spent a minimum number of days in classes and ensured that first nations schools on reserve offered diplomas recognized by universities off reserve. Moreover, it would have provided a nearly $2 billion increase for first nations education funding. Some $500 million of that would have been specifically earmarked for education infrastructure. This was critical.

Could the parliamentary secretary explain to our government what has been achieved on this front in the time since Bill C-33 was put on hold?

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

11:10 p.m.

Conservative

Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC

Mr. Chair, our government continues to believe that first nations students deserve access to the same quality of education as all other students. Since we were elected, we have invested roughly $10 billion to support elementary and secondary education on reserve.

The first nations control of first nations education act represented a real and concerted effort to improve education outcomes for first nations youth on reserve. While we are disappointed that the Assembly of First Nations was not prepared to accept this offer, our government remains committed to improving educational outcomes on reserve. We remain a committed partner in first nations education reform, and we will look for opportunities to work with first nations that are interested and able to pursue education reform, including through co-operative self-government agreements.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development--Main Estimates, 2015-2016Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

May 13th, 2015 / 11:15 p.m.

NDP

Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT

Mr. Chair, I would like to address my questions to the minister. I will start with northern issues.

The minister, in his dialogue with first nations in Yukon, indicated that the government does not consider first nations governments. Is the minister holding to that position?