Mr. Speaker, November is indigenous disability awareness month. First proclaimed in British Columbia in 2015, it is one of the first and only observations specific to indigenous peoples living with disabilities anywhere in the world.
This month we raised awareness of the often unique issues faced by indigenous peoples living with disabilities, the necessity of ensuring that their disability and health-rated needs are addressed, while recognizing the valuable contribution they bring to our communities on a daily basis.
Recently, I spoke to Neil Belanger from the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, who shared with me that indigenous peoples in Canada experienced a rate of disability twice that of the non-indigenous population. The prevalence of disability among indigenous peoples combined with the challenges faced by indigenous communities further compound the challenges they face.
Let us ensure that their voices are included as a government if we want to be a truly inclusive society.