SoVote

Mr. Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach, NDP)

Dec/1/21 5:29:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I first want to thank my constituents in Edmonton Griesbach. I am truly honoured and so proud to have the opportunity to serve Edmonton Griesbach in this 44th Canadian Parliament and to represent the many communities that make our district great. I will never take this opportunity for granted. I also want to acknowledge that we are gathered here on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin people. I want to especially thank Shannon Chief of the Algonquin nation who welcomed me during the swearing-in ceremony. It meant a tremendous amount to me to have that relationship with the Algonquin people. I am honoured to be the first openly two-spirit member of Parliament elected to this chamber. As a young indigenous queer person, I know that representation matters. Since being elected, I have received countless messages from young, indigenous and queer folks in my riding and beyond. Many shared touching stories about their lives and how important seeing my election was for them, to finally see themselves in government and to finally see themselves represented in this body. I am honoured they shared their stories with me and I hope to bring their voices and perspectives to this chamber, because the truth is that someone like myself is not expected to be here. The fact that the residents of Edmonton Griesbach chose a queer brown kid from their streets to send me here still surprises me today. The fact that I survived and am here is a surprise at all in Canada. I am a kid who grew up in the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, often one of the most forgotten and underserved communities in our country. I am here because of the strength of that community and the proud people who make that community great. I am proud to be bringing their stories here today. I am also in the chamber as an intergenerational survivor of the horrific residential school system and Canada's sixties scoop policy. To my kokum, my uncles, all the survivors and the many lost children, we remember them. I am here because of my birth mother Brenda, herself a victim of the sixties scoop, made the brave decision to call for support, saving me from the child welfare system, allowing me to grow up in my community with my culture, language, people, but, most importantly, my family, something indigenous people have been deprived of in this country. Not always having much, we always had each other, a gift that so many still today take for granted. [Member spoke in Cree as follows:] Kinanaskomtinawaw Packchi-wanis. [English] As indigenous people, we need to expect better from our government and our leaders. We must ensure change is made. We must ensure we never allow these kinds of injustices to happen again. I hope my presence in this chamber can help bring us closer on our journey toward reconciliation, though I fear this throne speech does little toward that goal. For a government of over six years that says good words, but does not deliver on those words, that does not show up when it matters, this only breeds cynicism, not reconciliation. This needs to change if we hope to move forward as a country. Nor does this throne speech do much to support those in my home district of Edmonton Griesbach. It will do little to make the lives better on the ground in my communities. We are a district made up of strong, vibrant communities, a working-class district, a diverse district with one of the largest urban indigenous populations in Canada and home to some of the largest populations of new Canadians, but also a district with struggles. It has seen some of the highest child poverty rates in the country and is home to many of the unhoused in Edmonton, a number growing steadily. In many ways, we are a district in crisis: a housing crisis, an opioid crisis, a district seeing an alarming increase in hate crimes, especially towards hijab-wearing Muslim women, a district still feeling the impacts of the ongoing pandemic. These are some of the concerns I hear on the doorsteps again and again, yet this throne speech does little to address these issues. On housing there has been much talk by the government, but action is needed. Unhoused populations in Edmonton have doubled. Unhoused residents in my community are struggling, just as they were before, and even more now. The throne speech makes no commitment on “for indigenous, by indigenous” housing, something the Liberals have promised for generations now. I was born in the 1990s and this was promised before then. It is not solving the housing crisis we face in Edmonton Griesbach or across the country. Winter is here. It is cold, and we must do more now. There was no mention of the long-promised pharmacare or of dental care. Over and over on the doorsteps, I heard stories of those who could not afford their medication or who had to choose between food, housing and other needs just to pay their medical bills. Pharmacare is so desperately needed. It would change lives, and it would save lives. We know this. The government knows this. The government's own report shows this. Canadians support pharmacare. They need it, which is why the Liberals have campaigned on the issue time and again. The fact that we see no action to implement pharmacare, and no mention of it in the throne speech, is simply unacceptable. It is offensive to my constituents who deserve better. The government must do better. Climate action, good jobs and a just transition for workers are other critical issues ignored by the throne speech. Many in my district are still struggling to find employment. Those who rely on existing employment insurance are frustrated because the throne speech does nothing to help them. Many are worried about what the future might bring as the world continues to transition away from non-renewable resources. They have worked hard. I know that. I am a former oil and gas worker. They want to see a future that is possible for them and one that they are included in. They want to know that there will be good jobs in Alberta and in Edmonton for many years ahead. The Liberals campaigned on a just transition for workers. They promised to involve them in creating plans, because there can be no justice without involving those impacted by this transition. There can be no successful climate action without involving workers, yet this throne speech does nothing to ensure good jobs or a just transition for workers in my constituency. Again, nice words are not enough. We need to see action. We need to create good jobs. In addition, this speech does not recognize the long-standing blood donation ban that has stopped countless queer folks, including myself, from giving blood. This is something the Liberals made promises on, campaigned on and even raised money on, but we continue to wait for action. Overall, this throne speech does little and says little. At a mere 24 pages, it is one of the shortest in recent history. There is no mention of the issues that matter most to the people I represent in Edmonton Griesbach. After decades of broken promises, including on affordable child care, I was pleased to finally see this happening in the throne speech; however, much work remains to have this be fully realized. It would do little to make life better for those I represent. People in my district feel left behind. It makes one wonder why we had an election at all, if the government was going to come back with so little. However, I am here to do a job. I am here to represent my constituents in Edmonton Griesbach and bring their voices to Parliament, and I am proud to be their voice. I will continue to push the government to keep its promises, and I will continue to push it to do better. It is what my constituents expect, and it is what Canadians deserve.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Blake Desjarlais

Dec/1/21 5:39:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is possible. We have seen governments work across many jurisdictions, including my jurisdiction in Alberta, to bring in something like child care. The very ideologically opposed parties that are represented in this government have actually been able to make a deal on this. I am encouraged by the government's ability to make that happen, but it was long overdue. Many families lost decades' worth of funding, preventing their children who are now grown from having that opportunity. I simply want to make sure that the government acts quickly so that we do not repeat the mistakes we made in implementing such a delayed child care program. We need to act now on pharmacare. It is a matter of life and death for some people. Coming from a place that works with many reserves, for example, we see the rights to drug coverage for them not going far enough. We need to see some tangible commitments and action on introducing pharmacare and I think there is—

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Blake Desjarlais

Dec/1/21 5:41:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I believe the member's question is of our time. We as indigenous people have endured a tremendous amount of hardship, and this hardship extends back to the very founding of Canada. We are only now in many ways uncovering these atrocities, and it should change us as people who love this country and as people who are committed to making it better. However, the actions of the government and the actions of the Prime Minister have largely failed. September 30 was a critically important day for indigenous people to recognize that the remains of thousands of indigenous children are now being found. It was atrocious that he was not there with the Kamloops Indian Band while they mourned and as we all mourned. When we make promises and break them, it strikes back to a historical broken cord of treaty making that was never finished. There is a lot more work to do.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Blake Desjarlais

Dec/1/21 5:43:12 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, health transfers have to increase. This is a must as we continue to battle COVID-19 and the many variants that are now cropping up all over the world. This pandemic is not over. Our provinces need more funding to support that function and to support Canadians across Canada.

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