House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2021, with 49% of the vote.
Indigenous Affairs November 5th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, our hearts are with the families and survivors of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, two-spirited and gender-diverse people every day. We know that women, girls and two-spirited people are still dying and that we need a national action plan.
I was pleased to speak with Chief Big Eagle yesterday. I think she is feeling that the working of the core working group and the ways that we will deliver a regionally relevant and distinctions-based approach and will—
Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia October 19th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I really do think the member knows the government does not direct the RCMP to do anything. This is about protecting populations and maintaining the law as peace officers, hopefully.
I want to reassure the member that the fish plants being put forward are based on science and conservation. I believe the Mi'kmaq people really do want to be able to regulate a fishery in a way that is in keeping with their customs and that they have the right to do that. The conversations going on with the assembly of Mi'kmaq chiefs is—
Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia October 19th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her extremely important question.
The Indian Act is truly a vestige of colonial policies. It is very important to me and our government that every indigenous community is freed from the Indian Act. Currently, half of the communities are at the table and are part of the discussions on their self-determination, with their priorities, in a more flexible—
Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia October 19th, 2020
I would like to advise the hon. member that we are in the midst of a pandemic. I have not been on a plane since March. I have been conducting my business from here and from Ottawa throughout this time. We have had very successful negotiations, including the signing of the agreement with the Wet’suwet’en, here from my home.
The member needs to understand about the Atlantic bubble and its 14 days of self-isolation. It is really ridiculous, actually, for the member to speak like that in the middle of a pandemic, when we are trying to be able to do real work at a distance, together while apart, as we fight the pandemic, put Canadians first and only do the kinds of urgent visits that do not put ourselves, our families and our communities at risk.
Lobster Fishery Dispute in Nova Scotia October 19th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Sydney—Victoria.
I am speaking to the House from my Toronto home, which is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. We honour all indigenous peoples who paddled these waters and whose moccasins walked this land.
To begin, I would like to thank the Mi'kmaq communities that have worked very hard to keep their members safe despite the escalation of violence. All Canadians were horrified by the violence inflicted on the Mi'kmaq people in recent weeks. They have been attacked and intimidated because they exercised their right.
With the destruction of property and attacks on people's attempt to obtain a moderate livelihood, unfortunately this escalation of tension has exacerbated divisions. No dispute can be settled through violence, and no durable solutions are found through threats and intimidation. It has to stop. Human rights and the treaty and inherent rights of indigenous peoples must be respected. That commitment is at the very heart of our country's very identity and enshrined in our Constitution.
We have much more work to do to forward the unfinished business of Confederation. We need to accelerate the progress and we need all Canadians with us on this journey. Racist colonial policies have resulted in denied opportunity, sustained harassment and a justifiable mistrust in all of our institutions and civil society. Systemic racism is evident in all of our institutions and all Canadians need to know that it is their responsibility to end it. The Government of Canada is committed to a renewed relationship with indigenous people in Canada, nation to nation, Inuit to Crown, and government to government, built on the affirmation of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership.
It has been over 20 years since the Marshall decision reaffirmed the right of the Mi'kmaq to fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood. The court upheld the treaty right of Donald Marshall to fish. The court found that his treaty right was protected by the section 35 of the Constitution. The Mi'kmaq people have the right to exercise their rights, free from violence, threats and racism.
Canada has reaffirmed our commitment to working in partnership with the Mi'kmaq to implement their treaty rights on the path to self-determination. Over the weekend, in our conversations with Chief Sack and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs, we reassured them that we agree with them, that the safety of their communities is the priority, the violence is unacceptable and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. We heard their frustration with respect to the implementation of their right to a moderate livelihood.
The Marshall decision was a long time ago, but is not where this story starts. In 1760-61 the Crown signed peace and friendship treaties with the Mi'kmaq people, treaties that guarantee hunting, fishing and land-use rights for the descendants of these communities. These treaties are the foundation of our relationship and remain in place today. Canada, and all Canadians, have a responsibility to understand this and ensure that these treaties are upheld and implemented. To achieve this, Canada is currently engaged in discussions on aboriginal treaty rights and self-government with 10 of the 13 Mi'kmaq nations in Nova Scotia. We are also pursuing discussions with the remaining three communities, which are not involved at the self-determination table.
Implementing the historic treaty rights recognized in the Marshall decision is a critical component of these discussions and a priority for the Government of Canada. For millennia, indigenous people have held conservation and sustainability as a core value. The Mi'kmaq nation has been working hard on its plans to exercise and implement its rights in a sustainable fishery based upon science.
I am proud of the progress we are making together to affirm the treaty and inherent rights of first nations, Inuit and Métis on their path to self-determination. Together, we and our partners have transformed how government engages with indigenous people and how we work together. The renewed relationship has been furthered by the establishment of the recognition of indigenous rights and self-determination discussion tables, which represent a new flexible way to have the discussion of how to affirm the unique rights, needs and interests that matter most to indigenous communities.
Since 2015, we have created over 90 new negotiation tables. There are currently over 150 active negotiation tables across the country to help advance the relationship with indigenous people and to support their version of self-determination. We are making significant progress at these tables, but we cannot move forward as a country without the understanding and support of all Canadians.
Part of the path forward was highlighted in the Speech from the Throne and that is the introduction and implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. UNDRIP is not scary. Implementation of the inherent and treaty rights of indigenous peoples is the way forward to a much stronger and fairer Canada.
The great challenges we have already endured in 2020 have presented us with a world that is in need of renewal. For Canadians, that renewal must begin with our longest lasting partnership. Our government is as determined to address historical injustice and racism born of colonialism, as we are determined to root out and expose racism today. Canadians have seen all too clearly during this difficult, tense time that racism, both systemic and societal, continues to be all too present in our country. The death of Joyce Echaquan has shown us this horrible truth.
Once we know the truth, we cannot unknow it. June Callwood said that if someone is an observer of an injustice, that person is indeed a participant. All of us need to identify racism in all its forms and then speak up, call it out and be part of the concrete changes that will stop it. It must not and will not be tolerated.
The Government of Canada remains fully committed to supporting the Mi'kmaq right to fish and to maintain a moderate livelihood. We will continue to engage in constructive dialogues with the Nova Scotia chiefs to implement these rights. I am working closely with my colleague, the hon. Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, toward a peaceful resolution and the advancement of Mi'kmaq rights.
The Mi'kmaq leadership is inspiring. I am confident that we will be able to find a path forward together that affirms their right to fish and creates certainty so that the Mi'kmaq people are able to live with dignity and security, free from violence. A timely and peaceful resolution will make Nova Scotia and Canada stronger and fairer. We will all win.
Indigenous Affairs October 5th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I share the concern of the member. I too participated yesterday, October 4, as we honoured the lives of those who had gone missing and supported the families of the MMIWG, two-spirited and gender-diverse people across the country.
Our government is determined to work with all provinces and territories in responding to the first-ever national inquiry to make sure that the families can seek justice and receive support. We will put in the concrete actions to stop this national tragedy.
Orange Shirt Day September 30th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, it is only by increasing our collective understanding of the damage done by the perceived superiority embedded in colonial policies that we will be able to confront and meaningfully address the racism toward indigenous peoples that shamefully exists in all of our institutions in Canada.
We encourage everyone to learn more about their role in the reconciliation process.
Today we ask Canadians to take time to read or reread the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action. We need all Canadians to understand the specific actions we can take as individuals, communities and institutions to advance reconciliation with first nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada.
When I was elected in 1997, I had no idea the last residential school had closed only the year before. I have learned from the courage of parliamentarians like Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Romeo Saganash and Wilton Littlechild. Today I acknowledge the leadership of the member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, himself a residential school survivor.
Today is a day for all of us to learn more about our shared history, including the painful chapters, a day for each of us to determine what role we will play in making the changes necessary to build a better future that respects and better understands the beauty, the wisdom and the importance of indigenous knowledge and culture and an indigenous world view.
As parliamentarians, we have an opportunity to pass legislation to honour the survivors of residential schools and survivors of other colonial and hurtful policies: the forced relocation of Inuit, the killing of their sled dogs, the execution of Louis Riel.
We have a responsibility to understand what was almost lost with policies of assimilation and how Canada will benefit from listening to, learning from and building new relationships with first nations, Inuit and Métis, paternalism to a partnership built upon genuine respect.
We will continue to work to advance reconciliation and nation-to-nation relations between the Inuit people and the Crown and government-to-government relations with the indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership.
Meegwetch. Nakurmiik. Marsi.
Orange Shirt Day September 30th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, today it is truly important that I recognize that we are gathered here on the unceded territory of the Algonquin people. The spirit of their ancestors must guide our work here in Parliament.
On this day, September 30, Canadians across the country will be wearing orange to raise awareness of the tragic legacy of residential schools and honour the thousands of survivors.
The residential school system was a tragedy born of colonial policies that harmed children, their families and their communities.
Orange Shirt Day was inspired by the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a residential school survivor. At the age of six, Phyllis went to the St. Joseph's Mission Indian Residential School wearing a new bright orange shirt bought by her grandmother. On the first day of school, her new shirt was forcibly taken from her, along with her dignity and her pride in her language and her culture.
As we move forward on the path to reconciliation, we must never forget the tragic impact of residential schools, and we must learn from survivors who have bravely shared their experiences.
On Orange Shirt Day, we acknowledge the denial of rights and the wrongdoings of the past. We recognize the present-day impacts across generations, including the trauma carried by survivors and their families and the negative impact it has had on the social, economic and educational outcomes for first nations, Inuit and Métis.
Today is a day when all Canadians learn more about the lived experience of residential schools survivors, the abuse they suffered, and how their lives and the lives of their families and communities were changed forever. We remember those children who died and never returned home. We can see in our mind's eye the graveyards with the tiny crosses next to the schools, and we pledge to help the families who still are searching for answers as to what happened to their loved ones.
Indigenous Affairs July 21st, 2020
Mr. Speaker, all Canadians should have access to safe, clean and reliable drinking water. As of March 31, 2020, more than $1.6 billion of targeted funding has been invested to support 619 water and waste-water projects, including 331 that are now completed. These projects will serve more than 62,000 people in 581 first nations communities. Much work remains to be done, but the results are encouraging with 88 long-term drinking water advisories lifted to date.
Indigenous Affairs February 25th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we recognize the urgency of this situation and the significant impact it is having on Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We remain hopeful for a peaceful resolution to the blockades. That is why I was in regular contact with the hereditary chiefs all last week. I indicated that we were available to meet in person any time.