Georgina Jolibois

[Petitions, October 25th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a petition calling on the government to identify hospice palliative care as a defined medical service covered under the Canada Health Act. Signatories of this petition would like to see provincial and territorial governments entitled to funds under the Canada health transfer system to specifically make hospice palliative care accessible to all residents of Canada.

[Indigenous Affairs, October 25th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the census painted a sad picture of indigenous communities living in Canada. Indigenous people are poorer, more indigenous children are in foster care, and indigenous people continue to face a housing crisis. Twenty per cent live in housing in need of major repairs, compared to only 6% of the non-indigenous population.

In northern Saskatchewan, I constantly hear from constituents about their difficulty finding affordable and adequate housing. Why are the Liberals still ignoring these shortfalls?

[The Environment, October 20th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, this week indigenous leaders sent a letter to the Prime Minister after being left out of developing new environmental legislation. They say the Liberals are failing to make good on their commitments to work in partnership with indigenous people. This is not how to establish a nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous people.

In my northern riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, the effects of climate change are felt every day. When will the Liberals work with indigenous people to develop new environmental legislation?

[Bills of Exchange Act, October 16th, 2017]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-369, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Indigenous People Day).

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of reconciliation, it is an honour for me to introduce my bill that seeks to turn national indigenous people day into a statutory holiday. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission report stated, “Reconciliation is not an Aboriginal problem; it is a Canadian one. Virtually all aspects of Canadian society may need to be reconsidered.” My bill seeks to offer an opportunity to all Canadians and all government and community levels to reflect on concrete actions for reconciliation and recognition of first nations, Métis, and Inuit, their history, their rights, their cultures, and their languages.

June 21 would be a day to reflect on treaty relationships and the legacy of residential schools that continue to be a heavy weight on indigenous peoples. I look forward to getting my bill passed in the House.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Indigenous Affairs, October 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Métis and non-status found out last week that they were not included in the government's sixties scoop survivors' settlement. This betrayal has caused great pain to Métis and non-status survivors, who were no less part of the sixties scoop.

How can we truly achieve reconciliation when Métis and non-status are being told by the Liberals that they do not exist and that their suffering is not worthy of recognition and compensation? Why were the Métis and non-status intentionally excluded?

[Vacancies, October 2nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Since the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs was not aware of the specifics of the case I referenced in my question, I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table these court documents that state, from the survivors' lawyers, “The federal government has asked for a court to declare that former Indian residential school students have no right to a fair hearing when their claims are heard for the physical and sexual abuse they suffered.” How is it possible that the government would ask for such a thing?

[Indigenous Affairs, October 2nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said at the UN that Canada believes in “An approach that...emphasizes fairness...for everyone”... He also said that the historic experience of aboriginal peoples “was mostly one of humiliation, neglect, and abuse”, and and yet his lawyers claim that the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement does not include the right to procedural fairness.

How can the Prime Minister allow his government's lawyers to argue that survivors of abuse still do not deserve fairness?

[Indigenous Affairs, September 29th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, we have learned that the government spent more than $110,000 fighting a first nations girl in court. It fought to block payment for the orthodontic treatment that cost just $6,000 to save her teeth. Instead the government spent 18 times more money fighting her in court. This is sickening. The government promised a nation-to-nation relationship. It promised that the relationship with first nations people is the most important.

How can the Liberals stand and repeat those lines while continuing to fight first nations kids in court?

[Orange Shirt Day, September 29th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, September 30 is Orange Shirt Day. This marks the date on which children were taken from their homes and brought to residential schools. Orange Shirt Day evolved from the St. Joseph's Mission residential school commemoration event's retelling of Phyllis Jack's story. She had her new shirt taken away from her on the first day of school.

The legacy impacts all Canadians. However, the greatest impact plays out in indigenous communities, with the disruption of indigenous languages and cultures. The 1960s and 1970s child scoop and first nation, Inuit, and Métis in foster care, juvenile detention, and corrections directly relate, as do the wide range of health epidemics seen through high numbers of depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicides today.

In the spirit of healing, reconciliation, and hope, it is past time to address policies that infringe on indigenous peoples across Canada.

[Indigenous Affairs, September 22nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, over the summer I met with families across Saskatchewan that raised concerns with how the inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women is offloading some responsibility onto community-based organizations. With cuts to the STC, it is almost impossible for families to reach the inquiry's registration, community meetings, and hearings.

If a nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous people is the most important relationship to this Prime Minister, why is he not removing all barriers to ensure the inquiry's success?