Linda Duncan

[National Literacy Policy Act, October 5th, 2011]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-327, An Act to establish a national literacy policy.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to have my bill seconded by the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent, a wonderful colleague.

Today is a very auspicious day to table this bill because it is International Teachers' Day.

This bill, which would establish a national literacy policy in consultation with the provinces, businesses, unions, experts, media and the public, is intended to address the serious issue of literacy in Canada. The bill would impose a leadership role on the federal government to enable action in a coordinated way among all the parties that are already working in their individual jurisdictions. It would require the government to report to Parliament once a year on action that has been taken.

I wish today to recognize the efforts of volunteers across our country who are working to improve literacy in the country, including a number of Edmonton organizations: the Edmonton literacy coalition, the Centre for Family Literacy, PALS and the John Howard Society.

Four in 10 Canadian adults fall below the literacy requirement. By 2031, more than 15 million Canadian adults will have low literacy levels. Unless some action is taken to reverse this trend, it has been stated by OECD and a number of think tanks that we will face profound challenges for Canada's social well-being and economic prosperity.

Right now, 60% of immigrants have low literacy and among aboriginal people, including the Yukon, 69% of the aboriginal population in the Northwest Territories have low literacy, and 88% of Inuit. Of course, this is also affiliated with the fact that they are struggling to learn their own languages.

I look forward to the support of the House for improving literacy in Canada.

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

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 5th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the commissioner also criticized the government for basing decisions about the oil sands on incomplete, poor, or non-existent environmental information.

The Alberta government has finally agreed to help finance a long overdue health study for at least two of the impacted aboriginal communities. Last I checked, this is a clear federal responsibility.

How does the government justify more tax breaks for the polluters while turning its back on aboriginal communities?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 5th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the environment commissioner has again reported on the abject failure of the government to require industry to assess the cumulative impacts of the oil sands on air, water, fish and wildlife.

Contrary to the recent outrageous comment by the Minister of Natural Resources that northern Alberta is uninhabitable, this area has long sustained first nations and Métis peoples.

Is anyone in the government willing to step up to the plate, restore the honour of the Crown and ensure aboriginal and treaty rights are not further abrogated?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 5th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the environment commissioner has again reported on the abject--

[Business of Supply, October 4th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, as a number of people in the House have stated, there is not a single member who has not been touched by this through a friend, family, or in their community. I am fully aware of the fact that those who are well-to-do, as the hon. member previously mentioned, have a hard time struggling with addressing mental health issues in their families, let alone suicide. Most families cannot afford the fees for a psychologist. It is reprehensible in this modern day and age.

As I am sitting here, it is occurring to me, and I would appreciate the member's comment on this, we are moving forward and several years from now we will have a new health accord. There are two issues. Is it not time that we started opening up to the public a dialogue on what the federal responsibilities are and how the federal government should be delivering on its responsibilities, including working with territories, provinces, and first nation governments, which we have to remember is an order of government, in the delivery of our services? Does she agree that mental health, including suicide, should probably be part of that dialogue?

[Business of Supply, October 4th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the member in response to the question by my colleague made reference to the fact that many of the aboriginal communities are isolated and cannot access benefits from resource extraction. It has been the experience of first nation communities in this country that although they want to participate they have been excluded. I simply mention the Lubicon of Alberta.

I am advised by the people of Pikangikum that the government promised somewhere in the order of $12 million to assist them. I think that fund ends sometime next year yet very little of that money has been forthcoming. It is one thing to do studies and another to make promises.

What will the government do to deliver on meeting the basic needs of housing, safe drinking water, access to medical services and so forth for that community and all other aboriginal communities in Canada?

[Business of Supply, October 4th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, as the member was elected in the province of Ontario, presumably he would be aware of an equally large problem regarding suicide, that being within first nations communities.

If he has not apprised himself of the recent coroner's report prepared by Justice Goudge, I would recommend that he discuss that with his colleagues.

In June of this year, Justice Goudge stated in a coroner's report that Pikangikum is an impoverished, isolated first nations community where basic necessities of life are absent. It has experienced 16 suicides in a two-year period. He also made reference to the fact that was the most severe case of suicide in that area of the country.

Would the hon. member speak to the broader issues faced by the communities in his own province? Should the government act on the recommendations of the coroner dealing with poor health services, lack of safe drinking water, no connection to an electricity grid, high unemployment, significant reliance on social services, overcrowded housing and abysmal health services?

[Aboriginal Affairs, September 28th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, this week Canada's first nations kicked off national efforts for first nations education. Their message is simple every first nation child must have equal access to quality education under control of first nations. This was Shannen Koostachin's dream. Evidence shows education is crucial to breaking cycles of poverty and hopelessness.

Will the government commit today to end the 2% cap on funding, and provide full and adequate support for first nations education?

[Safe Streets and Communities Act, September 27th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Churchill has been strident in the House in speaking on behalf of the rights and interests of aboriginal communities, including those in her own riding. She spoke out stridently against cutting the healing centre funding. There is no substance to the apology to our aboriginal communities, our first nations, if we do not come forward with substantive programs.

Absolutely, I have been sitting in here today and have heard no mention whatsoever of the consideration to our aboriginal Canadians. We need to be, not only in sentencing, giving due consideration to their plight and the impact on them from residential schools, their poverty and so forth. Also, we need to know what the government will do to invest in providing additional programs to help make aboriginal Canadians part of our economy.

[Safe Streets and Communities Act, September 27th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues stated earlier, many in the U.S. government, both at the state and the federal levels, are raising questions about the past policies of the U.S. government and are moving toward the kind of measures we are proposing which are to prevent crime.

Indeed, we need to reconsider the elected members making the decisions on what the appropriate sentence should be and instead rely on the judges and prosecutors who hear the details of each case.