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Results: 1 - 9 of 9
View Eric Melillo Profile
CPC (ON)
View Eric Melillo Profile
2021-03-22 19:10
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Minister Vandal, I have a Globe and Mail article in front of me from a couple of weeks ago and obviously I won't read the whole thing, but the headline is “Top defence official says China is a threat to Canadian Arctic”. It goes on to talk about China's push for natural resources and that they have been turning their attention to the Northwest Passage for some time.
Minister, we know there is depleting defence infrastructure in the north and that many individuals and organizations have been raising concerns about the Chinese Communist Party for years. Why has there been such little urgency from your government in securing our Arctic sovereignty?
View Dan Vandal Profile
Lib. (MB)
I certainly wouldn't agree with that statement. I agree with the reality of climate change, and climate change is occurring three times faster in the north than it is in the south. That's a very important factor. I think that's reality and we are a government that acknowledges reality.
First of all, I don't agree with the premise of your question. Our government is taking a whole-of-government approach to issues of the north because they are so very important. Whether it's northern affairs or foreign affairs or national defence, we are actively engaged and consulting with Inuit nations that live in the north, and we are taking a whole-of-government approach to the many important issues that face the north. We are working through the Arctic and northern policy framework to align all the territories, the indigenous nations and the investments that are occurring in the north.
You're right. Those issues are so very important, whether it's the Chinese, the Russians or other Arctic nations. We're actively engaged as well with the Arctic Council who are talking about all of these important issues.
View Eric Melillo Profile
CPC (ON)
View Eric Melillo Profile
2020-12-08 11:49
Thank you.
I agree with a lot of what you just said, particularly in terms of poverty being a real issue that shows we need to do more to increase economic activity and create more opportunities for jobs and more opportunities for prosperity across the north. Unfortunately, I think that over the past few years this government has opposed many opportunities for development in the north. I'm wondering if you could speak more to a plan to develop the north and to create some more opportunities so that, as you said, we can have a more comprehensive approach to addressing this issue.
Wayne Walsh
View Wayne Walsh Profile
Wayne Walsh
2020-12-08 11:50
Thank you. That's a great question.
In 2019, the government announced the Arctic and northern policy framework. It's a codeveloped policy approach between the Government of Canada and northerners to map out a road map for sustainable social and economic development in the north between now and 2030.
The Arctic and northern policy framework has eight goals and multiple objectives. We are now in the process of implementing that framework with our partners, which include territorial and provincial governments as well as indigenous governments, to make progress against that framework.
The framework looks at things such as some foundational infrastructure requirements, economic development, education attainment levels, health, reduction of poverty, etc. There is a comprehensive framework in place that has been developed with our partners, and that's what's really guiding our work right now to advance the north and those goals and objectives in the Arctic and northern policy framework.
Norman Yakeleya
View Norman Yakeleya Profile
Norman Yakeleya
2020-11-26 19:53
Marsi. Mr. Speaker, I am National Chief Norman Yakeleya of the Dene Nation of the Northwest Territories.
As our elders have always said, we ask all of Canada to continue to pray for all of us as we go through the COVID-19 pandemic.
I was elected in August 2018 on a platform of unifying the Dene and rebuilding the Dene Nation through our existing and modern treaties with Canada and the Northwest Territories government and other indigenous governments.
Time is of the essence for us as elected leaders. My three-year term—1,095days—is down to 268 days, as we all continue to lead and manage our way through this pandemic as Dene.
What you will hear from me will be consistent with the points we have talked about as Dene, what we have talked about with the other indigenous governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories, as well as what we have talked about with the Prime Minister and the ministers.
The pandemic really is about the health of our Dene and the health of our economy, either trapping or in wages, which sustains us. The Dene medicine wellness model is something we want to encourage, and what we ask of Canada, through the economic issues, is that they consider the proclaimed policies that affect the Dene people.
As we collectively protect our way through the second wave—and anticipate a possible third wave—a number of things are very clear.
One, the status quo is not enough. We would not want to go back to the normal way, because if we go back to the normal way of how we were doing business, we would still be in a situation of begging Canada to help the indigenous people.
We understand also that no one government can go it alone. Unilateral decision-making is counterproductive. However, the current system, the fiscal arrangement with the GNWT and Canada, supports these unilateral decisions. This is a time that demands collaboration and co-governance.
The pandemic has really brought to light the shortcomings in our existing systems. It has shed light on the fact that change has to happen. We are managing, but barely. Systems are stretched to the breaking point. People, especially our caregivers—known as elders, mothers and fathers—and special people in our communities, are exhausted.
The economy is in recession, and climate change is extremely important, along with what's happened with our weather.
We look at the pandemic as opportunities. The pandemic has helped create the conditions that make it clear that the only way ahead is through a collaborative co-governance approach among the indigenous governments, Canada and the GNWT, whereby issues of common concern can be discussed and next steps agreed upon. For example, arranging for new fiscal arrangements must be a priority with this government and with the indigenous governments. Another example is that the chiefs are very concerned about the greatly increased alcohol and drug abuse in our small communities and the fatalities we have suffered resulting from the pandemic's related public health restrictions.
Much of the program funding, design and programming for indigenous people resides within the Government of the Northwest Territories, with indigenous governments often reduced to being recipients of the funding, which may or may not meet their needs due to not having any input into program design and implementation. We encourage direct funding to the aboriginal governments. Let us do our own wellness program, rather than having someone do it for us.
The opportunity is now there to revisit these arrangements on a trilateral basis, to make it acceptable to the three governments and to promote efficiency, effectiveness and creativity in dealing with what are now almost intractable problems like housing, health, energy and the economy.
At the start of the pandemic, the Dene Nation made a case to Canada that the safest place for people in our community was on the land rather than in the community. Canada agreed, and funding was provided to assist families to go on the land in a common-sense, innovative approach.
The Dene Nation recognizes the need to rebuild the NWT economy post-pandemic. It has put out a road map in a document called the “Resetting the Sail: Dene Nation Post-Pandemic Economic Reset Plan April 2020”.
The Dene Nation and the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources put out a paper called ”Resetting the National Sail: a Consideration Paper on Indigenous Governance and the Canada Water Agency”.
The Dene Nation is a primary advocate for the creation of a territorial government whereby indigenous elected leaders and those of the Government of the Northwest Territories can gather and hopefully reach consensus on how to deal with issues of common interest. The Dene Nation is also advocating the coordinated approach of the Arctic and northern policy framework, which is to be structured in the same way. We are advocating for a Dene chapter—
View Adam van Koeverden Profile
Lib. (ON)
Thank you very much, Chair.
I'm joining you from my home, from the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
I want to say thank you to both the minister and staff for joining us today. It's wonderful to have you here.
I also want to give a shout-out to my friend and colleague MP Battiste, whose insight, perspective and knowledge on issues like this are so valuable to this committee. If our friend and colleague Mumilaaq Qaqqaq were here, I would say the same about her perspective.
No offence, MP Blaney; you're wonderful, and it's great to be working with you here, but I know I speak for all of us on this committee when I say that we miss Mumilaaq and we wish her well.
My questions are for you, Minister Vandal.
I would like to focus on something that wasn't touched on too much in your speech, but I think I heard it, which is the post-secondary task force. I'm asking because I'm concerned about youth in the north. I want to make sure we are getting them the services that they need.
I also know that in your youth, and probably still, you were a great athlete, and you know that athletics and sport have a really positive impact. I talked to a good friend yesterday, Beckie Scott, who has a program called Spirit North, which brings endurance sports to a lot of indigenous youth across the country. There were 6,300 last year, actually—great numbers.
Could you elaborate a little bit on the post-secondary program?
View Dan Vandal Profile
Lib. (MB)
Yes. Thank you.
First of all, let me set a little bit of the context.
Prior to the last election, the Arctic and northern policy framework was signed. Minister Bennett did a tremendous amount of work on it. It's a framework whereby the territorial governments and the indigenous nations are all signed on, as well as several provinces, including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, I believe. It is a policy framework for all the leadership in the north to sit at the same table to hammer out priorities.
One of those priorities is education. One of the ideas that came out was to form a task force with the best and the brightest of the north to look at the post-secondary education systems and consult with people who work in the sector and with other leaders, look at traditional indigenous knowledge and make recommendations to our government on how we can improve.
We reached out to those people who are on the framework—the territorial governments, indigenous nations, Inuit leadership, first nations and Métis leadership of the north—and they have submitted several names that we were able to choose from to put on the task force. Their work started last week. In fact, I had my first meeting with all 13 members, I believe, last week, and we talked about the challenge they have.
They're such a dynamic group. It's a good mix of experience and youth, indigenous and not, and they're going out there. They're going to submit a report to government by...I believe it's March 2021, so it's not a lot of time. They have a lot of work to do, and it's something that is important to our government.
The initiative started before the last election. We've invested over $40 million in five years to improving post-secondary options in the north. This is something that is exciting, and I hope it's going to bear a lot of fruit in the future.
View Adam van Koeverden Profile
Lib. (ON)
Thank you very much, Minister Vandal. I have just one more question.
Could you elaborate on the value and the leverage potential that I think a connection to the natural environment through sport, play and recreation might be able to provide to that program with the post-secondary task force? As well, could you elaborate a little on the food program and how access to post-secondary education and the food program are connected?
View Dan Vandal Profile
Lib. (MB)
Yes, absolutely. We all know the value of sports recreation for young people. Something that I don't think has been looked at often enough is the value of indigenous sport. I know that's going to be something that comes up in the task force's work.
We're looking forward to suggestions from them, but we know there's a lot of work to do. Once the report comes in, that's when the actual work must continue, and we're committed to doing it.
Results: 1 - 9 of 9

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