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Results: 91 - 105 of 126
Christopher Sheppard-Buote
View Christopher Sheppard-Buote Profile
Christopher Sheppard-Buote
2020-05-13 12:00
We've also done that GBA+ analysis of some of the announcements, because we feel that they are not responsive.
Specific gaps are in employment and training, considering the massive budget that Canada has for indigenous employment and training, the lack of that for urban people, the fact that there's no urban indigenous or indigenous youth-specific funding support or program, which did exist when friendship centres had a unique core program as my colleague Edith spoke about, and just generally appreciating and acknowledging our 70-year history in this country as the majority of us don't live in Inuit Nunangat, Métis homelands or first nations. The funding should just be reflective, and Canada needs to follow its own population data in creating policy and programs.
View Leah Gazan Profile
NDP (MB)
Thank you very much.
I have one final question. This is for the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.
Chief Bertrand, you indicated in your opening presentation that the $15-million government allocation in response to COVID was not adequate, given the fact that, as you had mentioned, prior to this we've known that indigenous people have higher rates of poverty and experience greater homelessness.
How has that impacted nationally the ability to respond to the diverse needs of indigenous peoples?
Robert Bertrand
View Robert Bertrand Profile
Robert Bertrand
2020-05-13 12:01
The little amount of money we have received has created quite a bit of, how should I put this, uneasiness with our PTOs, so much so that the board of directors met. The $250,000 is an insult, and we will be sending the money back.
Robert Bertrand
View Robert Bertrand Profile
Robert Bertrand
2020-05-13 12:03
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has been left with no choice but to initiate legal proceedings against the Government of Canada on behalf of the off-reserve and urban indigenous peoples over ongoing inequitable treatment in violation of their rights.
Government continues to underfund, deny their rights of self-determination, and violate rights under the Constitution and UNDRIP through their policies. We have highlighted these inequities before and will continue to do so, but since political leaders have not taken action, we have no choice but to seek a remedy through the courts as we did with the Daniels case.
That's what I want to bring to your attention this morning.
View Arnold Viersen Profile
CPC (AB)
Thank you.
One of the issues I've had is this. I've now had two constituents speak to me, Renée and Rodney. They are concerned about inconsistencies, both in the enforcement of the rules and in the way the benefits have been rolled out. They both live on reserve but have family who live off reserve. They have family members who are struggling to pay for groceries and things like that. They're frustrated with the fact that they're unable to get the benefits they have on reserve to their family members who are off reserve.
I'll start with you, Mr. Bertrand, and then I'll go to the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council.
Is this an experience you're hearing more about, and is there a solution that you could recommend?
Robert Bertrand
View Robert Bertrand Profile
Robert Bertrand
2020-05-13 12:05
I'm glad that you brought it up, because just what you said shows the inequalities of what we—and by “we”, I mean CAP and our PTOs—are living through right now. With the distinctions-based approach that the government has been using, most of the help and resources are going to those on reserve, while the people off reserve are being denied access to programs, financial help and resources.
What we've been asking for, from the beginning, is just to be treated equally. As you mentioned, the people who are off reserve want the same help and the same resources that those on reserve are getting.
That is what we are asking, Mr. Chair, and by appearing before your committee this morning, we are hoping that you will also be able to stress to the government the inequalities that I mentioned before.
Larry Frost
View Larry Frost Profile
Larry Frost
2020-05-13 12:07
What was the question? I had a little problem with my mute button about three minutes ago and I just got back on.
View Arnold Viersen Profile
CPC (AB)
No problem at all.
I'm hearing from constituents in my area, where I represent 14 first nations. Particularly a lady named Renée was contacting me, frustrated with the fact that there seemed to be quite an inconsistency in the rollout of services and also how the lockdown has been affecting them in terms of getting groceries. That's just one of the things.
On reserve, the chief and council take care of their families fairly well. Off reserve, people who belong to their band but don't live on reserve are unable to access any help through the band.
I'm just wondering if you have a solution for that and if that's something you're hearing about.
Larry Frost
View Larry Frost Profile
Larry Frost
2020-05-13 12:08
Is the question about on reserve or off reserve?
View Arnold Viersen Profile
CPC (AB)
That's the challenge. It's the difference in the rollout of services.
Larry Frost
View Larry Frost Profile
Larry Frost
2020-05-13 12:08
On-reserve tasks would help anyone, which we're doing with food hampers as I speak. On reserve, if we can work together somehow, it's all about helping each other, right?
View Marcus Powlowski Profile
Lib. (ON)
Thank you very much.
Thanks to all the witnesses.
I am from Thunder Bay, which I think has proportionately the largest urban indigenous population of any major city in Canada, so this conversation is very pertinent to us.
I'm trying to figure out the financing of the urban indigenous population. Am I right or wrong in thinking that if you're from somewhere like Pikangikum First Nation or Webequie First Nation and you're living in Thunder Bay...? A lot of people from these communities are living in Thunder Bay. Do they not continue to remain part of the Webequie and Pikangikum first nations and still get some benefits from the band?
Jocelyn Formsma
View Jocelyn Formsma Profile
Jocelyn Formsma
2020-05-13 12:09
I could speak to that a little bit.
Yes, you're right, and I know that many first nations, but not all of them, have extended the support funds that they've received to their off-reserve members, but I guess it goes again to what's available off reserve that they can access. I guess $100, $150, $200, or $75, whatever it is, is not going to go very far to buy groceries for a couple of weeks so you don't have to go as often, if there's any transportation, if they're still working, if there are children in the home.
I think the piece is yes, they're very much still a member, like I'm a member of Moose Cree First Nation and living here in Ottawa. The benefits that are extended to off-reserve members are limited from the first nations, which is why we're saying the friendship centres are there to provide not just the services, but also accessibility to urban indigenous community members so that they're better able to access food. The centres help them to navigate and apply for the CERB or seniors benefits. Some friendship centres have actually installed computers inside, but the keyboard is outside, so people can come and apply for federal benefits at the centre in a safe manner. They're providing that full wraparound community support that I think is very crucial for anybody. Isolation, like mental health, is affecting our people. I don't want to say more than COVID, because I know our people are either infected with COVID or have passed away from it, and we don't even really know about it because we aren't collecting the data.
I think there's a lot to what you've asked, but yes, we're still very much members of our communities, but the wraparound community support that we're able to access is very limited when we're not living on reserve, and it's the same for Inuit living in the south. Friendship centres serve tens of thousands of Inuit who are living in urban settings and it's the same for the funding that Inuit land claim organizations receive. From what we're hearing, the access for urban Inuit isn't as robust, and our president would be able to speak more to that if there's a follow-up question. We talk a lot about first nations, but I think that population also has a lot of very unique needs, which we've been doing our best to meet without necessarily the support from the regions. In some cases, yes—
View Kristina Michaud Profile
BQ (QC)
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First, I'd like to thank the witnesses.
I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the loved ones and families of the two young men from the Val-d'Or area who passed away.
I feel that most would agree, from what we are hearing today, that the distinctions-based approach to service delivery to indigenous people does not allow friendship centres to properly carry out their mission.
My question is for the representatives of the National Association of Friendship Centres.
How should the government have rolled out financial assistance to ensure that friendship centres could provide services to the community?
Ms. Cloutier could answer on a perhaps more local level, that is to say, regarding the situation in Val-d'Or.
Edith Cloutier
View Edith Cloutier Profile
Edith Cloutier
2020-05-13 12:26
Thank you for the question. As I said in my presentation and as many of us have said, this approach that Indigenous Services Canada and the government have adopted silences the voice of urban indigenous people. The way to highlight our realities is through action. From a more local perspective, and I feel it also applies to the national level, the action taken by native friendship centres clearly demonstrates that some needs are not being met.
In the 50 days that we have been managing the COVID-19 crisis, in Val-d'Or—with a population of 35,000—the Friendship Centre has been the main, the only, organization to provide more than 4,000 boxed lunches to homeless people. We run a day centre, where more than 500 food baskets have been distributed. Through our first response services, we receive over 100 calls a week allowing us to help communities. This is a reality that will need to be maintained after COVID-19; we will have to show that we were here before COVID-19, that we are here now and that we will be here afterwards. So the reality and the needs are going to be reflected in the work we are doing on the ground.
I am sure my colleagues at the national association will be able to provide more details.
Results: 91 - 105 of 126 | Page: 7 of 9

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