Niki Ashton

[Indigenous Affairs, November 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today, the international community criticized Canada for human rights violations. The UN committee against torture made it clear that the forced sterilization of indigenous women constituted torture. The committee also demanded an explanation for the lack of reparations and sanctions.

Let us be clear. This is what genocide looks like. How could Canada let this happen on our watch? Will the Prime Minister take immediate action, put a stop to this horrific act, and bring justice to the indigenous women and their families that were violated?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, October 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, every day tens of thousands of temporary foreign workers work hard to contribute to our country, and yet we treat them like they are disposable. Today, 36-year-old Mary Claire De Guzman, who had a stroke, is on life support in Winnipeg. Her husband and her 14-year-old daughter are desperate to come and see her. I raised this with the minister personally last week, and yet nothing seems to have changed. In fact, one of the doctors was told that immigration said they could not do anything until Mary Claire was dead.

Shame on the government. Why is it being so heartless? Will it act immediately to bring Ms. Guzman's family together?

[Indigenous Affairs, October 17th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Abraham Donkey was 58 years old. Ten days after getting heart surgery, he needed to travel 900 kilometres to Winnipeg for follow-up. Indigenous Services refused to provide him with an escort and to put him on the plane. That night, Abraham died, alone, on the bus. Other passengers heard him take his last breath.

Systemic racism kills. Systemic underfunding kills.

Abraham's family is seeking justice and to ensure that this never happens again. Will the minister meet with Abraham's family, and will the government commission an inquiry into this inexcusable tragedy?

[International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, October 17th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we recognize that poverty in Canada has many faces. Many of them indigenous, recent immigrants, racialized people and often women.

While Canada is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, over one million children live in poverty. Shockingly, almost 40% of first nations children live in poverty.

Today we recognize that poverty does not just happen. It is the result of a system that is broken, a system that seeks to enrich the wealthy and exploit the many, a system that is governed by Liberal or Conservative governments that time and time again prioritize profits over people.

It does not need to be this way. We must push for system change; for true respect of indigenous rights; for housing; for universal programming like pharmacare, dental care and child care; for free tuition; for fair taxation, ensuring that the wealthy pay their fair share.

Today, let us not just talk about poverty. Let us join those who are pushing for fundamental change, change so no one has to live in poverty again.

[Indigenous Affairs, September 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, I visited Red Sucker Lake, the home of the late Elijah Harper, an isolated community northeast of Winnipeg, where I met Rhonda. We talked about her two beautiful kids. We talked about being moms.

As I was leaving, she told me how happy she was it was summertime because she could stay in her house, a house that was covered partially by a tarp and without a bathroom, in Canada, in 2018.

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is his government failing first nations people like Rhonda and so many first nations women across this country, failing to act on the housing crisis that exists in Canada today?

[Indigenous Affairs, June 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, so many indigenous people are asking for this day to be a statutory holiday, and the Prime Minister is clearly not listening.

The government continues to show that it does not really respect first nations and the U.N. declaration that it adopted. It is not listening to indigenous communities, as illustrated by the botched consultation on pipeline projects.

Will it at least support my colleague's bill so that all Canadians can celebrate with indigenous peoples and recognize their rights?

[Rail Transportation, June 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the year-long failure by the federal government and Omnitrax to get Churchill's railway and port back on track has cost Churchill and our north deeply. Now the Canadian Transportation Agency says the Hudson Bay Railway has the responsibility to fix the line. The federal government recently expressed support for a regional partnership.

Instead of prioritizing an old pipeline, will the Liberals work to hold Omnitrax to account and invest in a strategic resource in our north and get Churchill's port and rail line back on track as soon as possible?

[Youth Challenges, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago the Prime Minister spoke at the NYU graduation in the U.S.

While he philosophized in the U.S., here at home our grads are facing a challenging time. l want to invite him to attend any one of the graduations in our north, here in Canada, to hear their stories: Thompson, faced with the loss of the smelter and refinery; first nations facing continuing high unemployment and underfunding of education; Churchill, still faced with the shutdown of the port and the rail line.

He could attend a graduation in virtually any community across Canada to hear what young people are facing in terms of sky-high tuition fees and precarious employment, but I doubt he will.

I believe he does not want to listen to young people who are concerned about the environment, growing inequality, and their economic future. When it comes to the Prime Minister and his policies, young people are increasingly saying that the Liberal government not only is not part of the solution, but it is increasingly part of the problem.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 1st, 2018]

) With regard to Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve and Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities: (a) what amount has been allocated for every fiscal year since 1996-97, broken down by (i) program, (ii) fiscal year, (iii) region, (iv) percent change year by year; and (b) what amount has been spent for every fiscal year since 1996-97, broken down by (i) program, (ii) fiscal year, (iii) region, (iv) percent change year by year?

[Indigenous Affairs, May 30th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up.

Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?