Niki Ashton

[Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, April 15th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I did not hear the member talk about the climate emergency we are facing. The member comes from the province of Alberta, where forest fires are already burning. We have been told to expect a potentially worse wildfire season this year.

Like her, I come from western Canada where some of our provinces are facing potentially severe droughts. Workers in the resource sector in our province tell me that they are concerned about the future of their children. They understand we need to find a way to transition to sustainable work for a livable future.

Does the member not think we need to support workers in the face of climate change, which means bold action in terms of supporting the kind of work they can do on a livable planet?

[Gaza, April 11th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the nightmare in Gaza continues.

Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 14,500 children. Families have gathered for Eid. They have gathered in the rubble, hungry, and mourning their loved ones who have been killed.

Just last week, we were horrified by Israel's killing of seven workers with World Central Kitchen, including one Canadian. More than 200 aid workers have been killed by Israel. It is clear that the Netanyahu far right government will continue the killing, in large part because of the complicity and the empty words of countries like ours.

We are witnessing a dystopian nightmare that is all too real, with AI drones and cold-blooded calculations of how many innocent civilians it is okay to kill at one time. We now hear that former prime minister Stephen Harper heads up one of the AI firms used by Israel.

We are also hearing about Canadian tax-deductible charities that are fuelling the war on Gaza. Canada must end its complicity on all fronts. It starts with recognizing Palestine as a state, including full membership at the UN, bringing in a real two-way arms embargo. It means taking a stand against genocide and standing up for peace and justice.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 18th, 2024]

With regard to on-reserve housing funding provided by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), broken down by province or territory and fiscal year since 2015-16: (a) what measures and resources have ISC allocated to streamline and expedite the application and approval process for building new housing; (b) what indicators do ISC use to ensure consistency in processing times across regions, considering the varying nature of projects and community-specific needs; (c) broken down by A-base stream funding and targeted funding, what is the average number of days for ISC to (i) acknowledge receipt of an application for funding, (ii) review an application, (iii) approve an application, (iv) deliver funding, (v) begin construction; and (d) in cases where multi-year plans or annual applications are submitted, what strategies are in place to minimize delays and ensure timely processing of funding applications?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 18th, 2024]

With regards to the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund (ICIF), and broken down by province or territory and fiscal year since 2020-21: (a) what is the total number of applications received by Indigenous Services Canada; (b) for the applications in (a), what is the (i) median amount of funding requested, (ii) average amount of funding requested; (c) how many projects in (a) were approved; and (d) what is the total amount of funding allocated by the ICIF, reflected as a dollar amount and a percentage of program funding?

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 18th, 2024]

With regard to the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s (CIB) policies concerning funding for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII) and Indigenous Equity Initiative (IEI), broken down by fiscal year since the inception of the CIB: (a) what is the total amount of funding delivered through the (i) ICII, (ii) IEI; (b) of the funding in (a), how much funding has been delivered and what is the total amount of funding in (a) delivered to (i) rights-holding Indigenous governments, (ii) non-profit or not-for-profit organizations representing the interests of Indigenous communities, (iii) for-profit companies or organizations whose leadership comes from First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities, (iv) for-profit companies or organizations whose leadership does not come from a First Nation, Inuit, or Métis community; and (c) how much funding has been delivered through each of the CIB’s priority industry sectors?

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 18th, 2024]

With regard to emergency preparedness infrastructure shipped to First Nation reserves by Indigenous Services Canada, and broken down by province or territory and fiscal year since 2015-16: (a) how many reports of emergency preparedness infrastructure in need of repair or replacement were reported to the department; (b) how many incidents of replacement materials becoming damaged in-transit were reported to the department; (c) how many incidents of replacement materials becoming damaged due to a lack of storage capacity were reported to the department; and (d) of the incidents in (b) and (c), how many projects were (i) delayed, (ii) cancelled by the department?

[Business of Supply, March 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, history is clear. There is no such thing as a military solution. There are only political solutions. Nowhere is that clearer than what we are seeing right now in Israel and Palestine.

This is what I want to understand: Conservatives today are going to vote against a motion that states that the House recognize a Palestinian state, like 139 countries have already done. Let us be clear. Are Conservatives saying they no longer support a two-state solution? Are the Conservatives today saying that they do not support statehood for the Palestinian people?

That is what they are saying by voting against this motion.

[Business of Supply, March 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, today Liberals have the chance to stand up for peace and justice. The minister and her government keep talking about a commitment to a two-state solution, yet the Liberals refuse to recognize two states. There are 139 countries that recognize the state of Palestine. Canada does not. As it stands, Canada continues to deny the most fundamental right of self-determination to the Palestinian people.

When is Canada going to back up its supposed commitment to a two-state solution by recognizing the state of Palestine? Will the Liberals support this motion and finally recognize the state of Palestine?

[Northern Affairs, February 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country are struggling with the rising cost of food, and it is even worse in northern and indigenous communities, where the lack of competition has allowed NorthMart, often the only option, to jack up the cost of food without consequence.

The Liberals are choosing to stand with wealthy CEOs instead of helping families afford food. In addition to competition, first nations like Garden Hill need reliable all-weather roads to be able to bring in food and supplies.

When will the Liberals stop subsidizing CEO profits, take on the grocery giants and stand up for northerners?

[Infrastructure, February 15th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment's recent comments that the Liberals have stopped investing in new road infrastructure and that the current system is perfectly adequate to respond to Canadians' needs is anti-northern and anti-indigenous. It is a death knell to isolated communities like Wasagamack, St. Theresa Point and others that have been forced to call states of emergency because climate change has made their ice roads unreliable. Other Liberals have been actively engaged in finding solutions on this front.

Will the Minister of Environment retract his comments, work with his colleagues and first nations to build the all-weather road access they desperately need?