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Results: 16 - 30 of 295
View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, indeed, it is a question of healing and of grieving for all indigenous peoples in mourning right now, specifically the communities around Kamloops whose children were scooped up, only to die, as some did, at the Kamloops residential school. Our thoughts are with them. We will be there to take action, to support them in their needs. They have asked for space, and that is what we are giving them. We will be there for them with mental health and other services, as long as they need them. The process of uncovering the truth, and then healing, will take a long time, but it is essential.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, our government and the Prime Minister have been clear. Our goal is comprehensive, fair and equitable compensation to support the healing of those affected by the historical inequity of discriminatory policies governing services to first nations children and families.
We maintain that there remain substantive unresolved questions about the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's jurisdiction. We are committed to this project and to ensuring that all first nations children receive fair and equitable compensation.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to be clear with the member opposite, and with all Canadians, that every first nations child who suffered discrimination at the hands of the child and family services system, which is broken, will receive just, fair and equitable compensation.
We maintain that there are substantive unresolved questions on the CHRT jurisdiction. On the other court cases that are outstanding in class actions, we are in discussions with the parties, but those discussions do remain confidential out of respect for the process.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I would remind the member that these calls are for all of Canada and particularly non-indigenous Canadians. The federal government has a very large role to play in this and there are a number of calls to action that we have moved on quite quickly.
I would note the implementation and passage and royal assent of Bill C-91 on indigenous languages, and Bill C-92 on child and family services. These are all transformative documents to fill the inequities that have characterized our relationship as a country.
We will continue to move on today's pathway announced by the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. It is one that is equally transformable with respect to missing and murdered indigenous women. I would point to the over $2 billion in the budget dedicated to implementing that.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, earlier today, contributing partners from across Canada came together to release a national action plan and the federal pathway to finally end this ongoing tragedy. The federal pathway is a key contribution in the national action plan that will leave real lasting and widespread changes. We provided funding to indigenous women's organizations, including NWAC, to engage with its membership on the priorities included in the national action plan.
We are greatly appreciative of NWAC's work from past engagement efforts. We value its input to date, respect its position and will continue to work with it through the Canada-NWAC accord.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her advocacy and deep personal commitment to these matters.
Earlier today, contributing partners from across Canada came together to release the national action plan and the federal pathway to addressing the ongoing tragedy. The federal pathway is a key contribution to the national action plan that will lead to real, lasting and widespread change. By working with over 100 indigenous women and 2SLGBTQIA+ people including indigenous, provincial and territorial partners, we now have a comprehensive plan to put in place concrete measures and the accountability framework that will truly keep indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people safe.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this moment, in front of the House, to thank the former attorney general and minister of justice for the work she did to move these important issues forward, in answering the TRC's calls to action and the MMIW's calls for justice, in making sure that indigenous languages affirmed their inherent right to have a rightful place in this country, and that child and family services, which betrayed indigenous children and is broken in this country, was reformed through Bill C-92.
Obviously, this time of mourning is a time to reflect on the speed at which reconciliation is going, but as we continue to search for the truth, I think it is also a time to recognize the progress and the tens of billions of dollars this government has invested in reconciliation. I want to thank the former attorney general and minister of justice for the work she has done in contributing to this.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that exceedingly important question. The answer is yes.
I will take this opportunity, because there is not a single indigenous community that has not been affected by this, to remind people that there is a crisis referral service hotline they can access by dialing 1-866-925-4419.
I have reached out directly to Chief Casimir and the surrounding communities to ensure that they have the full support of the Government of Canada and Indigenous Services Canada as they go through this difficult, emotional time. We will be there for them. We will be working with the First Nations Health Authority to be there for them, now and for the foreseeable future.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, now is in fact the time to stand with the communities that are most deeply affected and support them in their time of grieving.
On the member's question, we have said time and time again that we will compensate first nations children for the discrimination they suffered at the hands of child and family services. We continue on those paths. We continue to work with the three competing court cases to ensure fair compensation to those who have suffered harm.
We will continue on the long path toward transformative change to ensure that no child is apprehended again.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Chair, Adrian Reynold George, Agnes Michou, Ambrose Alexander, Annie Frank, Annie Lucy Andrew, Arcelle William, Archie Oxime, Bobby Joseph Bell, Caroline Harris, Christine Jacob, Christine Josephine Joy Joseph, Christine Jules, Clarina Matthew, Eileen Joseph, Florence Morgan, Francis Alec, Francis Maximin, Francis Moses, Frederick Lecamp, George Michel, George Petel, George Purdaby, Gertrude James, Gladys Chapman, Henry Lulu, Jesephine Louie, John Lecamp, Julienne Sharon Dennis, Kathleen Mitchel, Leonard Major, Leslie Lewis, Louise Seymour, Lucine Whimpin, Marguerite Fallardeau, Mary Anne Souelle, Mary Francois, Minnie Spy, Nellie Fallardeau, Pearl Joe, Peter Michael Purdaby, Ronald Frezie, Rose Adrian, Rose Marie Adolph, Sandra Seymour, Shirley Link, Sophie George, Sophie Pettel, Theophile Dick Billy, Violet William, Willard Frank William, Willie Joseph. These are some of the children known to have been lost at the Kamloops residential school between 1900 and 1971.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, with the guidance of survivors, elders and knowledge-keepers, developed a memorial register to honour the children who never returned home. Thanks to their continued work, we can remember the children stolen and taken to residential schools knowing that there are still more children to be found.
At the site of the former Kamloops residential school, and all over the country, last Thursday's news is just the tip of the iceberg. As set forth in the volumes of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, this number is in the thousands. Indigenous communities, families and friends are hurting, emotions are high and the pain is real. For indigenous people, this may not be a surprise. It does not make it less of a shock—
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Chair, emotions are high and the pain is very real. For indigenous people, this may not be a surprise, but it does not make it less of a shock or less painful. Anyone who frequented residential schools and survived has a story about someone who died or disappeared. More often than not, they were not believed. This truth is painful and must be told. We cannot talk about reconciliation without truth, and true healing cannot begin or continue without the truth.
As we have learned from the calls to action, we must continue with the indigenous communities at the forefront in our duty to help their search for the truth by supporting communities wishing to survey suspected sites in their communities. We must make space for indigenous voices.
I had the opportunity to speak to Kukpi7 Casimir Thursday evening and expressed my support and the full support of the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the B.C. First Nations Health Authority, with whatever they need in the coming days as they decide how to move forward to honour and commemorate these children.
I encourage all Canadians to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's final report and its calls to action. I was going to ask people to talk to their children, but they should listen to their children, about residential schools and why the country is mourning. They are learning about it in school. Anyone my age probably has not.
Please understand that many indigenous people across the country are grieving right now. We must all support the communities in mourning in their search for truth to ensure the entire truth is known. We cannot and must not look away.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Chair, it is key to whatever we are doing as a country that it is not just politicians talking about it. Everyone needs to talk about it.
My daughter, on Monday, chased me out with her computer as I was leaving and started telling me about what they were talking about just then, which was the drama and the find in Kamloops. It is what inspired me to say those words. I certainly did not learn it in school. There is so much work to be done in this country.
The member for Cape Breton—Canso spent a good part of his career, as a Mi'kmaq man, fighting for treaty education. We do not do enough of it. The federal government has a role to play in this.
Obviously, education is in the purview of the provincial governments, and there has been some great progress made, but it needs to continue. This search for the truth, this path on reconciliation, which is long and painful, not linear or obvious, is one that has to go through continued efforts to educate and make investments in education.
It should be a very important reflection again as to how far we need to go when it is indigenous people, and it is not on their shoulders to have to educate us. That knowledge is welcome, but we should be educating ourselves and the burden should not be on their shoulders. It is up to everyone. I said that with some hope at the end of my words that we do need to listen to our children, because I have realized in the last few days they know a little more than us.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Chair, I thank the member so much for her very relevant question.
I do not think this is the time to boast about all of the financial and political capital this government has invested in indigenous communities. What we need to remember is that we will be there for the communities by responding to calls to action 71 to 76, knowing that call to action 71 talks about provincial coroners and the key role the provinces play when criminal investigations are needed.
We have a very difficult road ahead of us. We are talking about crime scenes, sites that will now be sacred. We will need to do this painstaking work while ensuring that indigenous communities are at the forefront.
Many people have asked me about the role of the federal government. The federal government's role is to make room for indigenous communities. We will be there to provide financial support, so there is no need to worry about that. However, the substance also depends on the form, and the form, which is an issue so critical to indigenous relations, dictates that first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples must be at the forefront.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Madam Chair, indigenous communities should know that we will be there for them now in their period of grieving and healing, and that we are deploying mental health supports. My thoughts are squarely with the communities. Many of them had their kids stolen and taken to the residential school in Kamloops. We will be there for them.
We have been asked to give them space, and we will give them that space. FNHA is there to help communities across the country that want to go on that very painful and difficult path, as they consult their own community members who are grieving their relatives who never came home. We will be there to support them, but it will be according to their terms and not the federal government's terms.
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View Marc Miller Profile
Lib. (QC)
Mr. Speaker, people across the country and in indigenous communities feel the pain of this discovery. Not one community is untouched by the situation.
The member opposite will be pleased to hear that we will be there for communities. Most importantly, we will be there with communities, and we will respect their wishes. Grieving communities need support.
On Thursday evening, I spoke to Chief Casimir and assured her of my steadfast support for the grieving and reconciliation process over the coming weeks. We have been in contact since then as well. We will be there with them as they lead this initiative, and we will help meet their needs in the coming weeks and months.
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Results: 16 - 30 of 295 | Page: 2 of 20

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