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Results: 1 - 15 of 21
View Tony Baldinelli Profile
CPC (ON)
That's great. Thank you.
Also, as part of that, one aspect of our our clean energy advantage that you talked about was that it can also support indigenous self-determination. I was wondering if you could expand on that a bit.
Mark Zacharias
View Mark Zacharias Profile
Mark Zacharias
2021-05-04 12:31
Yes. There is an organization called Indigenous Clean Energy that looks at building partnerships with indigenous nations as well as with rural and remote communities. The recent federal budget, budget 2021, had, I believe, $35 million for indigenous clean energy generation, so there is an opportunity there, particularly as renewable grids require large areas, for either wind or solar. Those can be located on a lot of indigenous lands in indigenous territories, ideally with their full consent and partnership.
C.T. (Manny) Jules
View C.T. (Manny) Jules Profile
C.T. (Manny) Jules
2021-04-15 12:11
Good morning, honourable members.
My name is Manny Jules. I am the chief commissioner of the First Nations Tax Commission, which is one of three institutions created by the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, or FMA. I was also chief of the Kamloops Indian Band from 1984 to 2000.
Thank you for this opportunity to address this committee as part of your study on competitiveness in Canada.
Canada's productivity challenge is real and COVID-19 has made it acute. Meeting this challenge will determine whether or not we can maintain or improve our living standards, lift first nations out of poverty, and continue to fund our social infrastructure. Despite immigration, Canada is an aging society. Service costs like health care will rise sharply. We are going to have trouble maintaining services, particularly at the provincial level, unless we can improve productivity.
There are a few factors that determine productivity. I'm going to focus on just one, which is improving the first nations' investment climate.
First nations are a younger and faster growing population than Canada as a whole. We have higher unemployment, lower pay and, often, unproductive land. Too many of our children grow up without being exposed to work opportunities and the role models those create. This puts them at a disadvantage for the rest of their lives. That is not good for Canada's competitiveness.
I have spent most of my career turning this around. I have concluded that the root of our problem is the way we are viewed.
You see a social problem that needs to be fixed with government programs. I have a different philosophy. I think our disparities are fundamentally economic. Our economic issues are a result of first nations being systematically legislated out of the economy. Government oversight has prevented investment from happening on our lands. Social problems are a result of that.
How can we fix this? We need to focus on removing the things that have taken us out of the economy. We talk about the costs of interprovincial trade barriers, and rightfully so. We also need to talk about the investment barriers that have been put up around first nation lands.
We have identified a successful, three-part formula to build a stronger first nation investment climate. It is based on putting decision-making power in first nation hands, so they can respond to opportunities. First, develop legislation that recognizes first nation jurisdiction and provides an orderly process to occupy it. Second, establish first nation institutions to provide support and standards, so that first nations implement their jurisdiction in a manner that grows their economies and enhances the economic union of Canada. Third, provide training and capacity development to first nation administrations, so they know what to do.
This approach has worked. The First Nation Fiscal Management Act is the most successful first nation-led legislative initiative in Canadian history. This committee should build on that success by supporting four proposals to improve the act.
First, first nations need more sustainable economic infrastructure. In the last year, we have worked closely with the federal government to develop the legislation for a first nation infrastructure institute. The rapid implementation of this institute will ensure that we have the foundation to compete in a competitive investment climate.
Second, we need to provide tax and decision-making power to first nations. You cannot have government decision-making power if you are entirely funded by a contribution agreement. Fiscal powers give us a strong incentive for economic success. It reward good policies in a way that program funding never will. It allows us to implement our jurisdictions so we can, in my dad's words, move at the speed of business.
This can start with two easily implemented fiscal powers: a sales tax on fuel, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis—the FACT tax—and FACT excise tax sharing. I must note that on Monday, the Government of New Brunswick unilaterally cancelled the tax-sharing agreement with first nations in that province. The fiscal math of Canada is unrelenting. First nations need new legislated tax powers.
Third, we need to improve our resource economy competitiveness. First nations are often the only governments in a region that don't receive direct fiscal benefits from major resource projects in their territories. This makes it difficult to get our participation and support, and that means resource investment has fallen off relative to our competitors. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been diverted to other countries. We can fix this with a resource charge, supported with an offsetting federal tax credit. This would create transparent, standardized and stable first nation fiscal benefits from resource development. It could coordinate with federal and provincial tax systems.
The FNTC would support its implementation and coordination. This would provide many rural and remote first nations with economic opportunities and break the cycle of poverty that disadvantages so many children from an early age.
View Pierre Poilievre Profile
CPC (ON)
Thank you very much.
My questions will start with Mr. Ross.
Mr. Ross, if you listen to the media, you would think that all first nations are against all resource development.
Can you tell me the truth about where the communities you represent stand on these projects?
Ellis Ross
View Ellis Ross Profile
Ellis Ross
2021-04-15 12:22
A lot of the communities that support LNG, for example, do so under their own community processes, under democratically elected leadership. What you see in B.C. right now is a push to silence or marginalize democratically elected first nations people. It's the politics and ideology. It's a big problem in B.C.
In fact, with everything you talked about in terms of the media, nobody has actually gone to all those first nations that signed on to Kinder Morgan or the LNG projects. There are two major LNG projects in Kitimat, and both have the support of first nations.
Nobody wants to do a story on that, because it's not sexy enough. It doesn't make headlines. Yet, already you see the benefit going to all of these communities along the way in addressing poverty, substance abuse, children in care. It doesn't make the news because it's just not sexy.
View Pierre Poilievre Profile
CPC (ON)
Right.
With regard to all of the journalists and so-called environmental activists who stand in the way of the projects that would lift your people out of poverty, once they succeed at blocking the projects, do they stay around to help your people?
Ellis Ross
View Ellis Ross Profile
Ellis Ross
2021-04-15 12:23
No. In fact, if they don't get the support of the leadership of a community, they will find somebody else within that community to support their opposition.
It's something I have talked about as a number one principle that I see with legislatures: Do not use the first nations for your politics, for those who are among the most disadvantaged people in Canada. Especially in the last 15 years, we have seen light at the end of the tunnel where we can engage in the economy and actually say no to government funding.
View Pierre Poilievre Profile
CPC (ON)
Excellent.
I understand that all of the elected communities on the right of way of the Coastal GasLink are supporting that natural gas project.
Is that your understanding as well?
Ellis Ross
View Ellis Ross Profile
Ellis Ross
2021-04-15 12:25
Without a doubt. They all signed on, including first nations along the tanker route. They signed on. They did it for the benefit that we're all enjoying right now as we speak—for the last five years.
View Pierre Poilievre Profile
CPC (ON)
With the non-indigenous protestors who were blocking trains and standing in the way and creating these blockages, would you say they represent the first nations communities affected by the Coastal GasLink pipeline and liquefaction project?
Ellis Ross
View Ellis Ross Profile
Ellis Ross
2021-04-15 12:26
No, not even close. In fact, they blockaded the B.C. legislature, and I was told I should support aboriginal rights and title by a protester. I had spent the better part of 15 years doing exactly that to get my people to a better place, along with 17 other first nations along the pipeline. They were all doing it under the banner of rights and title.
A lot of the protestors across Canada don't have a good understanding of what rights and title actually are.
View Pierre Poilievre Profile
CPC (ON)
This is a project that will benefit the communities that unanimously elected leaders that unanimously support it and the communities they represent. It will actually reduce global greenhouse gases by replacing foreign oil with clean, green Canadian natural gas. It helps the environment. It helps first nations escape poverty and achieve independence. Isn't that what we're continually told we should be doing?
Ellis Ross
View Ellis Ross Profile
Ellis Ross
2021-04-15 12:27
Well, that's what I learned back in 2004. I've been reviewing LNG projects, forestry projects and solar and wind. You name it, I've reviewed it.
I always thought that was the common denominator: to protect the environment but to actually try to do something for the planet as well as trying to uplift aboriginals.
By the way, when you uplift aboriginals in any setting, you actually make the community stronger, B.C. stronger and, Canada stronger. I don't understand why we're actually allowing the opposition to dictate what's happening here in B.C., in Canada.
View Sébastien Lemire Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will begin by addressing the Chief Commissioner of the First Nations Tax Commission, Mr. Jules.
Kwe.
What is your reaction to the exchange you just heard between Mr. Poilievre and Mr. Ross? Do you agree with those statements being attributed to first nations?
You know that we are currently debating in the House Bill C-15, which recognizes more indigenous rights, including the right to self-determination. Do you consider this to be a worthwhile process? It includes the obligation to consult first nations. Would you prefer that?
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