SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 105

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 29, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 105 - Sep/29/22
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Sep/29/22 2:15:45 p.m.
  • Watch
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to acknowledge Raymond Ningeocheak and his family living in Nunavut. Crimes, ignorance and neglect by governments continue to this day. We are the parliamentarians who can help stop the process of colonial laws. We must be the parliamentarians who transform our work from empathy to action. Reconciliation must reflect the needs of indigenous people.
69 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 105 - Sep/29/22
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Sep/29/22 2:48:39 p.m.
  • Watch
Uqaqtittiji, indigenous communities deserve justice and a chance to heal from the legacy of residential schools. The government promised $200 million in funding for burial site searches but has delivered less than half of that money. It is shameful that the government is denying indigenous communities the funding needed to search for their lost children and for vital mental health supports. When will the government provide the funding indigenous communities were promised to bring these children home?
77 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 105 - Sep/29/22
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Sep/29/22 6:17:24 p.m.
  • Watch
Uqaqtittiji, several months ago, I asked the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and other ministers if they had met with impacted communities regarding their concerns with the Nunavut Impact Review Board's recommendations on Baffinland's phase two proposal. The minister's response was, “I can assure the member...that the consideration of indigenous people and the people of the north, Inuit, will be taken into great consideration”. After the Nunavut Impact Review Board recommended the rejection of phase two, Baffinland immediately requested a temporary increase to ship six million tonnes of iron ore. Communities had repeatedly told NIRB that the current project is already having devastating impacts on the wildlife and environment. These voices are being ignored. The ministers must hear directly from these communities regarding the Mary River project. Even though experts have testified and the communities have spoken, these testimonies have been ignored directly by the ministers in the government. It is my understanding that for each hearing, five impacted communities were allowed to bring five people to represent themselves. Throughout the hearings, only a small number of people were invited to testify. Those five communities are made up of 6,897 people, which is less than 1% of the populations that call the communities of Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Arctic Bay, lgloolik and Sanirajak their home. By putting limits on the voices heard, the deep, meaningful consultation required is not being done. The legal requirements for the duty to consult require the government to accommodate indigenous peoples when there is a potential for impacts from resource development. Corporate greed of private business should not come before the rights of indigenous peoples. The government continues to fail to protect indigenous people's right to be consulted. By deferring responsibility to NIRB, it has failed to meet its legal obligation to ensure meaningful and deep consultation. Ministers have been refusing to meet with community members, including those from the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization. Their culture and ability to thrive in Nunavut is a right affirmed in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The government continues to infringe on their rights. Like many things it has promised indigenous peoples, their rights are being violated. Has the minister and his colleagues met directly, not through NIRB's process or Baffinland, with these communities over their concerns with the duty to consult?
394 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 105 - Sep/29/22
Ms. Lori Idlout
  • Sep/29/22 6:24:06 p.m.
  • Watch
Uqaqtittiji, the parliamentary secretary has not answered my question about whether the ministers have met directly with the impacted communities. When I was trying to arrange meetings with the ministers and my communities, I was frequently told by the ministers that they were concerned about the conflict of interest relating to the Mary River project, explaining why they could not meet directly with the communities. Could the parliamentary secretary please share the conflict of interest he or his party has? I am sure that the people in my riding would be interested to hear if their interests are being ignored over corporate greed.
103 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border