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Results: 136 - 150 of 262
View Kody Blois Profile
Lib. (NS)
View Kody Blois Profile
2021-04-29 12:46
Okay. That was my question.
Ms. Fox, you talked earlier about wanting to get to the point of enabling indigenous communities to take even more leadership in terms of departments such as water. You mentioned that Indigenous Services will provide funding, and we talked about how we need to increase that funding. There is capacity building. What, in your mind, does enabling indigenous communities to have that final leadership look like?
It seems as though we've already devolved a lot of that power, outside of actual funding, to indigenous communities. Does that look like raising their own source of revenue with their community? What does that actually look like in your mind?
Christiane Fox
View Christiane Fox Profile
Christiane Fox
2021-04-29 12:47
Yes, I think that's an excellent question.
It would be things like the environmental public health officers, for instance, who do the testing. At this point right now, we're in a process of transferring that responsibility and that funding from the employees I have here in Indigenous Services Canada to funding people in communities to take on those roles and provide that kind of skills and training, so it's not limited to the operators. It's about health transformation and working with communities so that the Indigenous Services Canada nurses now become nurses of the community. It's all part of our overall governmental objective to transform those services, and water is one of them.
You are right that we are making progress towards that transformation by empowering leadership to take on these responsibilities, and I think we will continue to do that throughout our mandate here.
View Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I will continue with questions for Ms. Fox.
Ms. Fox, earlier, I was trying to understand whether the government's goal of fixing all the problems before March 31, 2021, was realistic before the pandemic.
From what I understand, the pandemic turned all plans upside down. Is that correct?
Christiane Fox
View Christiane Fox Profile
Christiane Fox
2021-04-29 12:49
In any infrastructure project, there are realities that mean there are sometimes delays. I can't say that there were no delays before the COVID-19 pandemic. There are always projects that move a little faster or slower than others.
We were working closely with the committees to really understand the project and the timelines, and how we could make up for any delays. That was the reality we were living with, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic had a very significant impact on the progress of some infrastructure projects, not just water projects. As a result, we have had to rethink our timelines and realize that the closure of several communities necessitated extending our deadline beyond March 31, 2021.
View Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Ms. Fox. That answers my question.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, but there were still delays before the pandemic.
In terms of the drinking water systems assessed that have the same issues as in 2015, almost half of the systems are at high or medium risk. A comparison of the 2019-20 and the 2014-15 reports shows that, five years later, the situation is the same.
How is that there has been no improvement in five years?
Christiane Fox
View Christiane Fox Profile
Christiane Fox
2021-04-29 12:50
First, I confirm that the department was working through the summer and fall with the goal of meeting the deadline. It was only in the fall that this changed, when the Minister asked that work not continue based on that timeline. I just wanted to clarify that.
In terms of the percentage of systems at risk, we saw reductions in risk, especially for systems that were high risk. The percentage was close to 20% at one point, based on our risk assessment system. In 2019-20, that percentage was between 14% and 15%. The number of systems that were high risk has been reduced.
There are still systems that are at risk, because some of them aren't intended for long-term use. They are temporary systems, which are inherently higher risk—
View Niki Ashton Profile
NDP (MB)
Thank you.
First, I have a comment. I find it pretty rich when I hear Liberals talking about how it's not just about money and it is about capacity. I mean, where's the political will? It's pretty disrespectful to blame first nations for not having clean drinking water. I have heard and visited communities where first nations are doing everything they can with what they've got to meet the need in their communities. The stories right now in 2021, during a pandemic, are stories that are inhumane and are reflective of third world living conditions, so just to set the record straight here, what we are missing is political will from this government.
I want to go to the AG to ask, based on their report, how devastating is it that so many first nations do not have access to clean drinking water? Does this also connect with their—
View Niki Ashton Profile
NDP (MB)
Well, I'll take my cues from the techs, thank you.
To go back to the AG, when communities don't have clean drinking water, is it limiting in other ways in terms of their ability to provide other services, whether it's opening up schools or expanding health care services? We know that when there isn't enough access to quality water in communities, there are a number of other domino effects.
I'm wondering if the AG could speak to that.
Karen Hogan
View Karen Hogan Profile
Karen Hogan
2021-04-29 12:53
We definitely didn't look at all of those domino effects in our audit, but I do agree with you. We did highlight the boil water advisory and what it impacts—fundamental things like bathing your young children or preparing food. It requires a community to boil their water before they can do so. Not having access to safe drinking water obviously has an impact on the general health of any human being.
The ripple effect is definitely one that's there and one that will impact generations of first nations. That's why it's so important to find those long-term solutions as soon as possible.
View Dan Albas Profile
CPC (BC)
Well, considering we are inspecting your bill, I gave representation specifically on the difference between the first nations and how they're treated under the Indian Act in my region of the Okanagan and how the same penalties would be hundreds of thousands of dollars if they were done on one side of the river channel versus the other. I simply said that there are two different ways of dealing with issues of environmental protection and pointed to those gaps.
Again, you are talking about a strategy rather than concrete action.
Your government promised to solve all boil water advisories and has failed to do so. Solving problems is the government's problem.
When questioned by a resident of Grassy Narrows who was begging for help, the Prime Minister said “No, thanks for the donation.”
No one doubts the Liberals' ability to hire consultants and draft reports. What is needed here are results. Why not push for action now, not action in a few years when a strategy is done?
View Lenore Zann Profile
Lib. (NS)
This is the beginning of action. It's the same as when we did the missing and murdered women. We needed a report on that. We need data in order to deal with the issues facing us today.
If you're more concerned about how much money it's going to cost to actually deal with these issues, that's a very sad thing. We need to do the right thing, and we need to listen to our constituents. Yes, racism does exist and environmental racism does exist. We need to deal with it, and that's why we're here today.
View Dan Albas Profile
CPC (BC)
Liberal members are fond of saying that we don't care about vulnerable Canadians, but what we want is to have them see results. A consultant-drafted strategy will take two years. Your government has spent over $6 billion, the highest amount, on consultants. It won't help anyone but Liberal-connected consultants and insiders.
Meanwhile, first nations all over Canada don't have clean water. I would suggest that we pull up our sleeves and get to work on helping people on problems for which people need solutions right now, not in two years, right now.
Could you please tell me who will be directly helped by your bill right now?
View Dan Albas Profile
CPC (BC)
I said that people need solutions right now, not in two years. This is a strategy. Who will be helped by this bill right now? As I said, we have boil water advisories that need to be fixed.
View Lenore Zann Profile
Lib. (NS)
I completely agree with you on the boil water advisories. In fact, our government is doing everything it can to stop the pollution going on right now that is preventing people from getting clean water.
Here's the deal. The majority of environmental groups, first nations people and Black communities across this country are cheering for this bill right now. They would like to see it in place, because it will make a difference in their lives, and that's why I'm here.
View Brad Redekopp Profile
CPC (SK)
Thank you.
I want to go back to talking about water. It's important for our committee. Shortly we're going to be doing a study on that, and of course clean water is huge. I would suggest it's a primary objective of any environmental legislation. In fact, in the first committee meetings we had a year ago, we met with the University of Saskatchewan Global Institute for Water Security to talk about this very thing.
Ms. Zann, do you believe all Canadians should have access to clean water, regardless of their income level or ethnic background?
Results: 136 - 150 of 262 | Page: 10 of 18

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