Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

[Mary River Mine, March 23rd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, the Baffinland mining corporation is looking to double the size of the Mary River Mine. Last month, Land Guardians braved temperatures as low as -36°C for days to have their voices heard to defend Nunavut from environmental and cultural harm.

Since the mine’s construction, we have heard an overwhelming amount of community concern. One hunter reminded us of something really important. He said, “This is our land—our home—being destroyed and we have to think about our future—our children.” I want to make my position clear. This expansion is a threat to my people, to indigenous sovereignty and to our environment. The government has been largely silent on this dangerous project. Because of this, I will be hosting a telephone town hall tomorrow night at 7 p.m. EST.

When the people of Nunavummiut get phone calls to invite them to the town hall, please join me to raise your concerns and let us fight for our rights.

Matna.

[Natural Resources, January 29th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, Baffinland, a mining company in my riding, is planning an expansion at Mary River. This week, consultations continued concerning the fact that it wanted to build a railway in primary breeding grounds for narwhal. The local hunters and trappers association along with groups closest are clearly opposed to this rapid expansion, which provides uncertainty for food supply and the future of Inuit.

Why is this project being allowed to go ahead when there is clear opposition from Inuit in the communities? When will the federal government stop valuing natural resource extraction over Inuit and wildlife survival?

[Housing, October 2nd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, housing in Nunavut and across the North is in a crisis state.

I recently did a housing tour in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions, and what I saw was was inhumane. Lack of adequate housing and safe spaces result in death. Inuit are dying. I saw homes where babies and young children were living that were overcrowded and mould-ridden, and that had not been renovated in years.

The Nunavut Housing Corporation is severely underfunded by the federal government. The federal government has a responsibility to fund housing in an adequate way, with appropriate materials for the North. Adequate housing is the least this government can do after years of neglect, oppression and colonization.

I will be presenting a report on what I saw in the coming weeks, and I expect the federal government to act on it now. Inuit and Nunavummiut cannot wait any longer.

[Address in Reply, September 23rd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government failed Inuit before COVID-19 and continues to do so. Since the Liberal government has been in power, it talked about a distinctive indigenous housing strategy in 2017 and in 2019 about investing in more housing. We have yet to see these two items come into full action.

Last month I travelled to seven Nunavut communities, visiting over 100 homes. All homes I went to had mould and most of them were overcrowded. I also heard of parents losing their children to the foster care system because their homes were deemed unfit. I heard stories of parents finding their children hanging from the ceiling. I heard stories of elders forced to live with people who abused them.

The lack of basic human rights for indigenous peoples results in death. Inuit are dying, and were dying before this pandemic.

I did not have expectations of this throne speech. Since the day I was born, Inuit have heard promises of a good life, of positivity, of being able to contribute to society in a healthy way, of having basic human rights and we continue to have those promises broken.

I will start to have faith in the federal government once I see Inuit have the opportunity to live a life filled with dignity and respect. I will start to have faith in this institution once I see indigenous people have the right to self-determination.

When will the federal government stand up for Inuit and provide basic human rights, at least basic housing?

[Indigenous Affairs, February 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, meeting with the Wet'suwet'en chiefs would be a step in the right direction for reconciliation, but what we are seeing again is the Prime Minister failing. His broken promises to the people in my riding are seen every day, with a lack of and poor health care, mental health care, housing, education and transportation.

The Liberals supported our motion on suicide prevention, but when it comes to action, we see broken promises.

Why are the Liberals so committed to denying basic human rights for indigenous peoples?

[Relations with Indigenous Peoples, February 18th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, when I spoke in the House of Commons in Centre Block in 2017, I talked about how these foreign systems do not work for indigenous peoples. When we are talking about these protests and blockades and people not being able to make it to work and such, may I suggest that is a glimpse of what it is like to live a life like mine, to look like me and have to walk through the world as I do?

In saying that, indigenous peoples have been backed into a corner, and the federal government has constantly backed indigenous peoples into a corner. Often it is a decision between whether this is a project I am going to support to be able to feed my family or pay rent, or do I say no to it? We constantly see indigenous groups being given one very horrible option.

We have heard numbers, we have heard figures and we have heard contributions to economic development, but I am on the ground and I know it is failing. It is not working for indigenous peoples or groups. We could be talking about climate, jobs and economic development, supporting search and rescue, supporting hunters and fisheries, investing in the arts industry, but instead we are giving indigenous peoples a very difficult position.

If there is such concern around jobs and economic development, why are indigenous peoples not given multiple opportunities instead of one difficult choice?

[Indigenous Affairs, February 18th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 2019, the minister came to Nunavut and apologized for the federal government's failure to provide “proper housing, adequate medical care, education, economic viability and jobs.”

Apologies without action mean nothing. How do Liberals think they can move forward, along with indigenous peoples, on situations like we are seeing in the Wet'suwet'en territories if they refuse to back up their words with concrete action?

[Relations with Indigenous Peoples, February 18th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing across this country is not just about one resource project. This is about generations of underfunding, broken promises and broken treaties. The federal government has backed indigenous peoples into a corner. Food, water, safe housing and infrastructure are fundamental human rights that the federal government has promised us and continues to deny us.

The anger around Wet'suwet'en territories is about the failed policies that have let indigenous peoples down. The federal government has ignored or threatened our well-being and our very existence as indigenous peoples. How can we talk about reconciliation when the federal government has stolen our lands, slaughtered our sled dogs, refused us our rights and continues to give us impossible choices?

The situation is complex, but here is a simple start: The RCMP needs to stand down and the Prime Minister needs to get involved and meet with hereditary chiefs.

[Northern Affairs, January 29th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, we know that seven out of 10 children in Nunavut go to school hungry. How shameful is that in a country like Canada?

Since nutrition north started, food security has actually gotten worse in Nunavut. People in need struggle to get quality food and necessities. Nunavut is the only fly-in, fly-out territory, so in my riding it is even worse.

When will the government step up to make the program transparent and accountable to those in the north and start feeding our children?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, December 6th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, I stood in Centre Block and I talked about suicide in my territory. I also called on leaders with power and the ability to make change. I got tired of waiting, so here I am.

My territory has held the very unfortunate title of having the highest suicide rate in the country for years. We are looking at basic human rights. When I am talking to my constituents, that is the first conversation that comes up.

How do we talk about opportunity and having the option to thrive and strive, as we should as Canadians, when we do not have basic human rights? When will the government step up and provide housing for my constituents to be able to live and feel safe? When will the government step up and eliminate our boil-water advisories? When will the government step up and lower living costs so that people can afford to feed themselves and their families?

This is a conversation that has been going on for decades. I hope that by the end of this term we can talk about post-secondary opportunities and child care spaces.

The government needs to step up. These are our Canadians. These are our constituents. This is my riding. These are my people. These are our people. We need to step up and treat them as Canadians, which we all know. We are so proud to be Canadian, but where are our basic human rights?