Senator Dalphond: Thank you, minister. I see that the work is only beginning. Will that work include a recognition of the strategic role and contribution of Inuit, including prioritizing Inuit access to federal procurement in relation to National Defence focused on Inuit regions?

Hon. Éric Forest: Honourable senators, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by our former colleague Murray Sinclair, has had a decisive impact on our understanding of the historical wrongs committed against First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Elected municipal officials recognize the importance of the process and want to participate too. We can only achieve our potential as a country, as a city or even as individuals by charting a new course with Indigenous peoples based on empathy, respect and an honest understanding of history.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has responded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls for action by posting a tool designed to guide cities along the path to reconciliation and support the federal government in rebuilding nation-to-nation relationships.

A number of initiatives have started since then. The City of Montreal is one example that comes to mind. It offers its employees training on Indigenous culture, it has a commissioner for relations with Indigenous peoples, and it provides funding to community organizations working to improve the quality of life of Indigenous persons.

I would also call attention to the third Great Gathering of Indigenous peoples and Quebec municipalities held this year in Gatineau to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding.

Smaller communities are also taking action in accordance with their resources. This year, for example, the North Shore region hosted the fourth Grand Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec. The aim was to encourage networking between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses in order to promote the region’s economic development.

Some people talk about economic reconciliation. There is probably a way for the federal government to support municipalities that are seeking to go one step further on the road to reconciliation. The federal government recently set up a fund to reward municipalities that relax their regulations to encourage soft densification.

In a similar vein, why not provide technical and financial support to municipalities that want to take action and create a framework for truth and reconciliation? Cities, towns and municipalities are willing to work towards reconciliation. The federal government would do well to establish genuine partnerships with them, since it is often at the local level that broader issues are resolved.

Thank you.

Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond: Welcome, minister. In June, before you became defence minister, the government released the co‑developed action plan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP, principles. Substantial sections are related to defence, imposing several responsibilities on your department. One of them is to collaborate with the Inuit Treaty Organizations to jointly identify Inuit-specific priorities and considerations for inclusion, where feasible, in National Defence policies, programs and initiatives. These matters are to be jointly identified by the partners, whose focus includes Inuit Nunangat, being the northern regions where Inuit traditionally live in the country. Minister, how is this work proceeding? How is the meaningful consultation engaged and the partnership developed?

Hon. Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence: Thank you very much, Senator Dalphond. I have some good news on that. I met earlier this week with the Inuit Treaty Organization. It was a meeting chaired jointly by Natan Obed and my colleague Minister Gary Anandasangaree. There were a number of discussions that took place with respect to our UNDRIP commitments with respect to the military. And as I spoke earlier, one of the Indigenous leaders we had met with earlier this week, I met yesterday with his team, and we talked about how we can work more collaboratively and consultatively with Inuit leadership, working with the Nunangat in order to fulfill our obligations.

Senator, I want to assure you we see this area as critically important, but every investment we make has to be done in close and proper consultation and collaboration so that, first of all, we would benefit from their knowledge of the territory but also take full advantage of their presence and capabilities within the region and allow us to invest in those capabilities.

We also discussed the important work that the Canadian Rangers do and why they are such an important part of the Canadian Armed Forces’ presence in the North, and that needs to be done also in consultation and close collaboration with the Inuit Treaty Organizations.