44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 4, 2022 02:00PM
- May/4/22 11:22:03 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as we sit here in this place, and we talk about indigenous women and girls and the realities that they face, and how many of them go missing or are murdered, I think of the many constituents I have in my riding who tell me the reality they face every day because they do not know, in one case for 35 years, where their sisters are. They just always have that haunting sort of history in their mind: What happened? Is she okay? Is she dead somewhere? How do we find her?
We are here in this place. We have calls to action. We know the pathway that we need to take. What we need to see is for the government to actually invest resources into that pathway so that we can move forward and so that, finally, indigenous women and girls can be valued the way they should be.
Could this member talk about how important it is to actually see those resources so the actions can happen, and so that the women do not have to have this experience anymore?
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- May/4/22 11:23:09 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as my colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands mentioned earlier, there are more than 200 calls to action, to justice. My colleague is right: We know what they are, but we are still gathered here asking questions, thinking about what we might put in another report. It is sad.
As my colleague from Manicouagan was saying, when they talk about money, it is usually for publicity, for PR, to give the impression that something is being done. If there is no real political will to follow through on the recommendations and move forward, we will not make any progress. This is about more than just money. Other women and girls will go missing or get murdered.
As I said at the end of my speech, these are women we will never find again, and their loved ones will continue to wonder. The image of the dresses hanging up was striking.
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- May/4/22 11:24:18 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her speech.
During tonight's take-note debate, we spoke about the violence perpetrated against women and murdered women. This kind of violence happens all the time.
I would like my colleague to tell us about recognizing and understanding the root causes of this violence in order to support indigenous people in their recovery.
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- May/4/22 11:24:50 p.m.
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Madam Chair, talking about recovery, I would like to address one aspect that we must discuss.
I am referring to the infamous Indian Act. We cannot consider recovery as long as this archaic law is in force. This law perpetuates all manner of prejudice towards indigenous communities. Furthermore, we cannot talk about recovery if we do not let them live with dignity.
As I stated earlier, too many communities still do not have safe drinking water in 2022. In a country such as Canada, that is unacceptable. Housing is decrepit and inadequate. This is not conducive to women breaking the cycle of violence.
An announcement told us that an indigenous community in Abitibi will finally have electricity. Congratulations. It is 2022, but this community still did not have electricity.
We cannot speak of recovery when we do not see the problem in its entirety.
Above all, the Indian Act is really outdated. We need to speak about this again.
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- May/4/22 11:25:54 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I was pleased to hear the member speak about the issue of racism in the Indian Act. I had asked a member of the government questions about that and the government member, in response, spoke about UNDRIP. That is an important question to discuss given the government's legislation around it, but it is a different question from the question about the Indian Act.
I was very struck by a comment made by the member for Edmonton Griesbach about how, in effect, culture is more important than politics. We are here discussing what politicians can do in our political response, but it is ultimately the underlying culture in Canada of how we treat and see each other that is of primary importance.
I wonder if the member could comment on both of those issues: on the need to address racism in the Indian Act and on the importance of cultural change in reconciliation being foundational.
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- May/4/22 11:26:52 p.m.
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Madam Chair, reconciliation is essential, but we cannot talk about reconciliation unless we have discussions as equals, nation to nation.
I spoke about how Canada's treatment of its indigenous peoples has tarnished its international reputation. Canada did not want to sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and refused to do it for far too long. That is unacceptable.
The fact that Canada did not sign the declaration and even delayed these declarations and negotiations is unacceptable, especially when we are talking about opening a dialogue and engaging in these exchanges.
I think it is clear that we must open this debate and have real discussions, but the government avoided signing the UN declaration for far too long.
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- May/4/22 11:27:59 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I always appreciate my colleague's contributions, especially those that relate to gender-based violence.
Would the member agree with me that the federal government needs to not only quicken the pace of spending the 2021 allocation of funding that was targeted to address murdered and missing indigenous women and girls, but provide additional funding to ensure that required resources are provided and that they are sustainable, with long-term and ongoing funding?
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- May/4/22 11:28:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, as I mentioned, the government must absolutely invest in these communities and work and plan for the longer term.
There is so much work to be done in areas such as providing housing, implementing the action plan or getting drinking water to various communities. The government clearly needs to do some long-term planning so that there is some stability here. That is also important.
I also think that the government needs to move forward with the money it has promised in its various budgets.
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- May/4/22 11:29:26 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I had packed a whole bunch of different things into my last question, which was maybe unfair, so I will focus on one aspect of it.
We had an exchange earlier with another member about, on the one hand, saying there are some things that need to happen politically around combatting violence and, on the other hand, recognizing that some of the biggest changes are not actually about politics at all but are about culture. They are about the way people see each other and the way they interact with each other, and that is not our primary mandate as members of Parliament.
I wonder if the member wants to reflect on some of the cultural changes that need to take place.
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- May/4/22 11:30:05 p.m.
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Madam Chair, with respect to cultural changes, I want to talk about something that I did not have the time to address.
In a conversation about culture and respect for cultures we cannot ignore what happened with the residential schools. I want to say it here because it was absolutely cruel. The purpose was to “kill the Indian in the child”.
No one can talk about respecting culture and then go after children or go after these people's futures. For far too long Canada sought to kill these cultures.
I repeat: Never should anyone try to “kill the Indian in the child”.
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- May/4/22 11:30:49 p.m.
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It being 11:30 p.m., pursuant to order made on Tuesday, May 3, the committee will rise.
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- May/4/22 11:31:12 p.m.
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Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 11:30 p.m.)
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