Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his really hard work on reconciliation. Just last Friday, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and I hosted a first of its kind, a mental wellness summit bringing together indigenous leaders from across the country doing phenomenal work on mental wellness and substance use recovery. We hope that this is the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to see the Leader of the Opposition's ambition in this space, because that is exactly what we have been showing since 2015, an ambition to move forward on reconciliation. He hits all the high notes. We are talking about things like truth, equity and self-determination, things that we know are going to ensure a brighter future for first nations communities and individua…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the progress report on the implementation of the recommendations in the “Default Prevention and Management 2017" report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
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Mr. Speaker, like many members of this House, the people of James Smith Cree Nation have been on my mind since the horrific and heartbreaking acts of violence on September 4. Early that morning, a community already living with the effects of intergenerational trauma faced an unthinkable situation. By the afternoon, the community was left reeling with the deaths of 10 loved ones and 18 others injur…
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Mr. Speaker, it is an all-too-sad reality that in fact climate change disproportionately affects indigenous communities. Of course, I will continue to work with all indigenous communities, including York Factory, on making sure their infrastructure is resilient and, as we rebuild and replace infrastructure, that it meets the climate challenges we are all facing together.
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Madam Speaker, as a person who worked closely with communities that have been traumatized by violence, I have met survivors of gun violence, victims of intimate partner violence and certainly groups of allies and advocates across the country in my political role. The message continues to be the same, which is that Canada has to do more to protect women and vulnerable people, such as those in 2SLGB…
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Madam Speaker, our government has been very clear that this is legislation that does not target hunters and sport shooters. In fact, in my own riding, I have a community of both hunters and sport shooters that are thriving and that are honoured by many of their neighbours, friends and colleagues. This is about creating safer communities for all Canadians. Sport shooters can rest assured that we wo…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Davenport. It is a true honour to be able to take part in this debate tonight on Bill C-21. This historic legislation builds on the government's previous work to end gun violence and keep Canadian communities safe. My friends across the aisle often speak about the need to address gun smuggling and trafficking that contribute to gun viole…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for advocating for Poplar River First Nation. The department is working with the community and has provided services and alternative means to get services and supplies to the community. We are working with the community to look at alternatives for replacing the barge. I will always meet with any chief who wishes to, at a time that works for both of us.
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Madam Speaker, I will say this about our government. One thing that I am very confident in is that we will be able to work with sport shooting communities and business owners to ensure that we understand those challenges, that we can help support those communities and, indeed, support businesses to comply with the law and ensure they continue to support sport shooting across this country. Again, t…
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Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the member opposite for her constant advocacy for equity. That is exactly what our government is pursuing. We made historic investments in indigenous communities and with indigenous peoples. We passed legislation to empower indigenous communities to reassert control over their own child and family welfare. We have settled negotiations with indigenous people in terms…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her ongoing advocacy for equity and fairness for first nations children. In fact, the government has been fully complying with Jordan's principle. We will continue to do that. Not only that, but the parties are negotiating on a final agreement. As the House knows, we have an agreement in principle that we are working with all the parties to finali…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for his unwavering advocacy for the health of people in Northwest Territories. Nurses have always been the backbone of our health care system. I think we can all say a huge thanks for the efforts of nurses, especially through the pandemic. They have put up such an effort to protect us all, and they have been unwavering in t…
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Madam Chair, indeed, I met with a group of women from Quebec just recently to talk about their concerns and to talk about the opportunities ahead for indigenous women and indigenous women in leadership. I will continue to meet with indigenous women's groups, and indeed all indigenous communities and families across the country, to make sure that we can course correct as we do this important work t…
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Madam Chair, it is important that we continue to stay focused on the most vulnerable in our communities. The member opposite knows that I share the perspective that when those among us who have the least opportunity are empowered by a government that invests in things like affordable housing, access to clean water, supports for mental health and wellness, and ensuring that no child goes without su…
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Madam Chair, I do not agree with the member's assessment, although I do agree with her firm commitment to ongoing sustainable and equitable funding for indigenous communities. I will say that the $2.2 billion in budget 2021 was about the framework for the actions and the plan. The billions of dollars in budget 2022 over many different files relate to indigenous communities for housing and infrastr…
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Mr. Chair, it is such an honour for me to be here today. Kwe kwe. Unukut. Tansi. Hello. Bonjour. I will be sharing my time with the member for Fredericton. We are talking about this tonight, and tomorrow, May 5, is Red Dress Day. Tomorrow, many across the country will wear red or hang a red dress in a public space to grieve and remember the far too many missing and murdered indigenous women and gi…
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Mr. Speaker, it gives me pleasure to rise in the House during Mental Health Week to talk about the overlay of extreme mental health needs in indigenous communities as a result of the history of colonization and oppression in this country. That is why this government takes it so seriously. In fact, we have designated $425 million toward indigenous mental health-specific programs. There is more mone…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for federal public servants, information from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario is as follows: In response to (a), the answer is one; in response to (b), the answer is zero.
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Madam Speaker, I am so grateful for the question, because the member raises something that is critically important. It should be important to all Canadians, but it certainly is important to our government: the connection between the environmental destruction that we have seen in Canada and around the world and the disproportionate impact it has on indigenous people. I was, for example, in Wabaseem…
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Mr. Speaker, I share the member's deep concern for the mental health of all indigenous people who are struggling with so many crises that have led to increases of all kinds of substance use problems and disorders. We have been working closely with first nations communities on programs and supports that are indigenous-led and that will lead to better mental health outcomes and better health for ind…
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Mr. Speaker, I am sharing my time tonight with the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River. I am joining the House today from the Robinson-Superior Treaty territory. I am actually on Fort William first nation as we speak. We are deeply saddened and concerned by the number of people losing their lives because of opioids and addiction. It is a serious problem that affects every region of the country. Bef…
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Madam Chair, the federal government has an important role to play in supporting provinces and territories to deliver on their responsibilities for health care, including mental health and substance use care. Beyond that, we also have an important responsibility to provide support for first nations and indigenous communities and ensure they have the right supports as they choose and that those supp…
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Madam Chair, I think the member opposite knows that is exactly the journey we have been on. We have been working with provinces and territories on making sure people can access safer supply. In fact, just a few months ago, prior to being the Minister of Indigenous Services, I was so pleased to announce funding for four safer supply projects in British Columbia. Of course, this relies on those stro…
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Madam Chair, there is a lot of work happening at various levels of government to consider decriminalization. As I said earlier in response to other colleagues, I believe that there is no one perfect approach. It will be multiple things that will help people who use substances and that will help their families. The first thing we have to do, and I fully agree with my colleagues in this regard, is t…
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Mr. Speaker, I can reassure the member this government has every intention of working hand in glove with indigenous communities to raise all long-term boil water advisories. Our work is paying off. In fact, 74% of long-term boil water advisories have been lifted since we have been in government. We have another 16% of the long-term boil water advisories under construction and we will not rest unti…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not know if the member knows this, but in November 2015, when we came into power, there were 105 long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on first nations across this country. We worked with communities, each with its own set of specific challenges. We allocated billions of dollars, and we have been able to lift the majority of those water advisories. We will continu…
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Mr. Speaker, it is without a doubt that everyone deserves clean drinking water, no matter where they live in this country. That is why we have invested billions of dollars in clean drinking water, in partnership with first nations communities across the country. We have also committed to 100% of operations and maintenance funding. We are working with the partners who are still experiencing clean d…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her passion, because we share it. This is a top priority for our government, to end long-term drinking water advisories across the country. That is why we have invested billions of dollars. That is why we are working so closely with communities just like the ones she mentioned. We will get this done together in partnership with first nations communities.
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Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to everyone who has suffered so tremendously through this flooding experience, including indigenous people who are disproportionately impacted not just by this climate-related event, but by many others. My team has been working very closely to coordinate services with the Province of B.C. and has announced funding of $4.4 million through the emergency management assi…
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Mr. Speaker, as it is my first time to rise in the House, I want to thank the constituents of Thunder Bay—Superior North for electing me yet again for a third time. It is with a profound sense of responsibility that I assume this role as Minister of Indigenous Services. So many indigenous people live in the communities I represent, and I am so proud to have this role. Absolutely, housing is a prio…
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