44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 19, 2024 10:00AM
Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Nepean.
Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that Canada's Parliament is located on the ancestral unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
Our collective journey on the path of reconciliation, healing and understanding is not merely a path we choose to walk; it is an essential step toward a better future and an acknowledgement of past wrongs. This is about acknowledging that while we cannot change the past, we have the power and, indeed, the responsibility to shape a better future, which is exactly what Bill C-29, the piece of legislation we are debating today, is all about. Simply put, it would establish a national council for reconciliation.
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- Apr/19/24 10:04:23 a.m.
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In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was chaired by the hon. Murray Sinclair, investigated the history and the legacy of residential schools and released its final report. It came after six years of hearings and testimonies of more than 6,000 residential school survivors and their loved ones. The report included 94 calls to action to address the legacy of residential schools and to achieve true reconciliation based on the experiences and recommendations of survivors. Our government is committed to implementing each and every one of those calls to action.
This legislation responds to call to action numbers 53 to 56. The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that “all levels of government must make a new commitment to reconciliation and accountability.” The Truth and Reconciliation Commission further noted that Indigenous peoples and Canadians will benefit from the establishment of an oversight body to evaluate and to report on progress made toward fulfilling commitments and to ensure that the necessary educational resources to advance reconciliation are available to all Canadians.
On this journey, it is crucial that we listen, truly listen, to the stories of those who have been affected by our history. These stories, though often fraught with pain and injustice, are vital in understanding the depth of the hurt that has been caused. They remind us that behind every call to action, there are human faces and stories that deserve to be heard and to be acknowledged.
To that end, this bill was brought forward after extensive engagement with Indigenous peoples and organizations. Our government as well as parliamentarians in both chambers have worked tirelessly to ensure that the bill before us today is at the heart of what indigenous people have been asking for in this country. Parliamentarians have made important amendments, and the government accepts all of them.
Walking the path of reconciliation requires consistent action and a desire to forge a new relationship based on mutual respect, trust and nation-to-nation recognition, to which indigenous peoples are entitled. This work is vital, complex and long term. That is why it is crucial that we have systems to measure the progress we are making as a country as we work toward reconciliation and that we hold the government accountable to its obligations. The council would do just that.
Reconciliation requires more than just words. It demands action. It challenges us to move beyond the mere acknowledgement of past injustices to the implementation of concrete steps that address these wrongs. While the Leader of the Opposition offers platitudes on the necessity of reconciliation, there remains a stark contrast between his rhetoric and the actions, or lack thereof, taken by his party.
That is why the National Council for Reconciliation is so important. It would be an independent, permanent body that would oversee the progress of reconciliation efforts in Canada. It aims to promote respect, dialogue and understanding between Canadian and indigenous peoples. The council would provide oversight and would hold the government accountable for advancing reconciliation with indigenous communities, including monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.
We know progress has been made, but I hope that everyone in this place would agree that there is more to do. As amended, this bill strengthens the accountability of governments to respond to council concerns in terms of measuring progress. The establishment of such a council reflects a commitment to creating mechanisms for ongoing dialogue, for respect for Indigenous rights and for a concerted effort to address historical injustices and the legacy of colonialism. It signifies a step forward in the journey toward reconciliation, aiming to ensure that the actions and the policies of the future are informed by a comprehensive understanding of the past and present realities faced by indigenous peoples in Canada.
I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, as amended, as it represents a critical step toward bridging the gap between words and action.
Meegwetch. Qujannamiik. Marsi.
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- Apr/19/24 10:11:18 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is certainly a tough question to answer, in terms of whether legislation is required for that. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when misinformation is spread so wildly. We do not even seem to have a standard on who is willing to distribute that information in this day and age.
At the heart of this is information and making sure that Canadians know exactly what happened. We have a very difficult past to reconcile with. We have the obligation to ensure that we do everything we possibly can. I would even go as far as saying that this is why this legislation is so important. If a council is established permanently, as an act of this Parliament, it becomes much more difficult for a potential future government to dismantle it. Therefore, that council would continue to exist in perpetuity to be able to monitor the progress of the calls to action.
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- Apr/19/24 10:13:08 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I do not have an answer to his specific question in terms of the particular organizations that he referenced. What I do know, as I indicated in my speech, there was an absolute ton of work done in creating this commission and in consulting with indigenous peoples directly.
I am a partisan person. I think the Speaker would acknowledge that. When I stand in the House, I am quite partisan. I will take the shots where I see necessary. I really hope that on this particular issue, an issue as important as this, the entire House can support it. We are talking about establishing a council with oversight. I really hope that we can put aside partisanship and that we can move forward in doing what it is right because I know, at heart, every member believes that.
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- Apr/19/24 10:14:58 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is certainly off topic in terms of this particular bill, but I am happy to answer that question. I completely agree that, with respect to having an act with that name in 2024, we should be moving in the direction of replacing it and probably updating legislation in the process.
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- Apr/19/24 12:03:42 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, Canada's support for Ukraine has been unwavering. Unlike the Conservative Party opposite, which has voted against Ukraine multiple times now, we are stepping up our support through budget 2024.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development please tell the House about the important news for Ukraine through the latest budget?
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- Apr/19/24 12:07:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I understand that, over the constituency week, the Speaker has indicated that he is going to be reviewing some of the things that have been said in the House to further improve decorum here. I would like to contribute to the reflection that he will be doing, and I will reference Standing Order 18 specifically.
Standing Order 18 says that:
No member shall speak disrespectfully of the Sovereign, nor of any of the royal family, nor of the Governor General or the person administering the Government of Canada; nor use offensive words against either House, or against any member thereof. No member may reflect upon any vote....
My point is that, today, during question period, the member for Regina—Wascana referred to the Prime Minister as “corrupt” and to the government as “corrupt”. Although he did it today, it has been done a number of times in the House. I would say that terminology specifically goes against Standing Order 18. I would encourage the Chair, during this time of reflection over that week that he indicated he was going to do that, to consider my comment on this and to weigh into whether or not this is actually—
Some hon. members: Debate.
Mr. Mark Gerretsen: Madam Speaker, they keep yelling “debate”. This is one of the few times I am actually rising on a point of order that is actually is a point of order.
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- Apr/19/24 12:09:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would ask that you reflect on and include in your deliberations and reporting back to the House whether or not the word “corrupt” in reference to an individual or the government is appropriate.
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- Apr/19/24 12:25:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first petition is on behalf of constituents who are calling to the attention of the government the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring widespread devastation and extreme weather.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to move forward immediately with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
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- Apr/19/24 12:27:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the second petition I am presenting today is from farmers primarily from the riding to the north of mine, which is Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston. They are bringing to the attention of the government that the abattoir that was located at the Joyceville Institution was shut down a number of months ago. As a result, there are no longer options to utilize an abattoir within the local area of Kingston. As such, these farmers have to bring their cattle to abattoirs that are a much further distance away.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to explore all options to ensure that the abattoir located at the Joyceville Institution is reopened to address the issues noted above.
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