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Minutes of Proceedings

Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN)
45th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 7
Monday, October 27, 2025, 3:34 p.m. to 5:33 p.m.
Televised
Presiding
Terry Sheehan, Chair (Liberal)

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Library of Parliament
• Brittany Collier, Analyst
• Antoine Csuzdi-Vallée, Analyst
Indigenous Policing and Public Safety
Eel River Bar First Nation
• Chief Christopher George
Eskasoni First Nation
• Chief Leroy Denny
Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service
• Keith Blake, Chief of Police
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the committee resumed its study of Indigenous Policing and Public Safety.

Leroy Denny made a statement and answered questions.

Motion

Billy Morin moved, — That given that the damning report recently released by the Auditor General of Canada entitled, 2025 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada: Follow-Up on Programs for First Nations, that found that in spite of an 84% increase in spending at Indigenous Services Canada, the department failed to address over half of the recommendations they agreed to, and given that Indigenous Services Canada has failed to addresse unsatisfactory drinking water conditions, has failed to addressed emergency preparedness on First Nations reserves, and did not assess whether remote First Nations communities have access to essential health services, among other failures, the Auditor General and Minister of Indigenous Services be invited by the committee to address the concerns raised in the Report, provided that both witnesses testify at the same meeting, with the Auditor General scheduled for the first hour, followed by the Indigenous Services Ministers for the second hour, and that the meeting take place no later than Monday, November 3, 2025; that the meeting be televised; and that the committee report its findings to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Ginette Lavack moved, —

That the motion be amended:

  1. by replacing the word “damning” with the word “with concerning”; the words “in spite of an 84% increase in spending at Indigenous Services Canada” with the words “during a period in which spending at Indigenous Services Canada increased by 84%”; the words “failed to address” with the words “unsatisfactorily addressed”; the words “has failed to address unsatisfactory” with the words “had not made satisfactory progress in implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations”; the words “has failed to addresse” with the words “had not made satisfactory progress in addressing”;
  2. by adding, after the words “remote First Nations”, the following: “, and Inuit”;
  3. by replacing the word “failure” with the word “concerns”;
  4. by adding, after the words “followed by”, the words “Minister of” and by deleting the word “Ministers”;
  5. by replacing the words “no later than Monday, November 3, 2025” with the words “ as soon as possible”; and,
  6. by adding, after the word “House”, the words “and that the committee report its findings to the House and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response”.

Debate arose thereon.

Subamendment

Sébastien Lemire moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the word “as soon as possible” with the words “no later than Monday, November 3, 2025”.

After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Sébastien Lemire and it was agreed to.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Ginette Lavack, as amended, and it was agreed to.

After debate, the question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

Given that the concerning report recently released by the Auditor General of Canada entitled, 2025 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada: Follow-Up on Programs for First Nations, that found that during a period in which spending at Indigenous Services Canada increased by 84%, the department unsatisfactorily addressed over half of the recommendations they agreed to, and given that Indigenous Services Canada had not made satisfactory progress in implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations on drinking water conditions, had not made satisfactory progress in addressing emergency preparedness on First Nations reserves, and did not assess whether remote First Nations, and Inuit communities have access to essential health services, among other concerns, the Auditor General and Minister of Indigenous Services be invited by the committee to address the concerns raised in the Report, provided that both witnesses testify at the same meeting, with the Auditor General scheduled for the first hour, followed by the Minister of Indigenous Services for the second hour, and that the meeting take place no later than on Monday, November 3, 2025; that the meeting be televised; and that the committee report its findings to the House and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request that the government table a comprehensive response.

Questioning of the witness resumed.

At 4:35 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 4:38 p.m., the meeting resumed.

Christopher George and Keith Blake made statements and answered questions.

At 5:33 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Malachie Azémar
Clerk of the committee