THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Tuesday, June 20, 2017
The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples met this day at 9 a.m. to study the new relationship between Canada and First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Senator Lillian Eva Dyck (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Good morning; tansi. I would like to welcome all honourable senators and members of the public who are watching this meeting of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples either here in the room or listening via the web.
I would like to acknowledge for the sake of reconciliation that we are meeting on the traditional, unceded lands of the Algonquin people.
My name is Lillian Dyck, from Saskatchewan, and I have the honour and privilege of chairing the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples. I will now invite my fellow senators to introduce themselves, starting on my right with our senator from Alberta.
Senator Tannas: Scott Tannas from Alberta.
Senator Doyle: Norman Doyle, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Senator Pate: Kim Pate from Ontario.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: Senator Lovelace Nicholas from New Brunswick.
The Chair: Thank you, senators.
Before we begin today’s meeting, I would like a motion to allow Communications to take photos of the proceedings this morning. It is moved by Senator Doyle, seconded by Senator Pate. Is it agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you, senators.
We just have been joined by Senator Christmas. Good morning, Senator Christmas.
Senator Christmas: Good morning.
The Chair: This morning, we are pleased to welcome Youth Ottawa to our committee. Youth Ottawa, as senators will recall, was the group that was involved in our “Indigenize the Senate” two weeks ago when 60 youths from Ottawa joined our nine youth leaders for workshops and activities. They had quite a full day of activities.Today they are here to debrief the committee on their work that day. I’m looking forward to hearing how they experienced that day.
We welcome Ottawa Youth Engagement, and special thanks to Youth Ottawa, because they were the main organizer of the youth that came here. Special thanks to Emma Buchanan, who is sitting with them at the table to provide support to them.
We have three of our youth here today: Theland Kicknosway, Daxton Rhead and William Komaksiutiksak. I should have looked at this beforehand. I hope that’s a reasonably close pronunciation.
William Komaksiutiksak, Youth Ottawa: Yes.
The Chair: Our three youth leaders are going to do a five- or ten-minute presentation to us. Following that, we will then have questions or comments from the senators. Have you agreed upon who will go first?
Daxton Rhead, Youth Ottawa: I would like to thank the members for having us here today and for having us two weeks ago for “Indigenize the Senate.”
My name is Daxton Rhead. I am an ally and an activist for indigenous rights. I myself am not indigenous, but for the past five and a half years or so I have been working alongside different organizations to educate other Canadians about the issues faced by indigenous people in Canada. I was very fortunate to learn about what indigenous people face and to learn about Canada’s history with indigenous people through my teachers and through my schools.
One of the main things that came out two weeks ago is a lot of comments on education and the importance of education for indigenous students but also non-indigenous Canadians to learn about our shared Canadian history.
One of the requests is support and resources to hire indigenous outreach and support workers for the school system, as there are currently not enough outreach workers available; allowing space for personal stories and healing from trauma in the classroom; and mandatory workshops that teachers have to go to, just to make sure that teachers understand different perspectives, especially when teaching history and the true history of colonization and residential schools.
We want to acknowledge that the problem is not the curriculum. It is more that teachers don’t always feel comfortable teaching the curriculum, and some teachers will avoid parts of the curriculum talking about indigenous peoples, so we think it’s important to bring indigenous leaders into the classrooms to introduce these topics, as some non-indigenous teachers do not feel comfortable teaching about this or cannot do it justice.
We also want to recognize that First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities and their perspectives and issues are often different from one another and cannot always be lumped into one. Indigenous people comprise many nations.
Recognizing that on- and off-reserve schools are different things, often when it comes to language, it has to be looked at slightly differently. It can be difficult to teach indigenous languages on off-reserve schools, but all children should have the opportunity to learn their own indigenous language and to learn about their culture. We need to create a space for languages through the education system. As there is a history of abuse for language, some indigenous people may not feel comfortable with the education system trying to reteach them their culture when it was the education system that took it away in the first place.
We need to create space in cities and, especially, provide funds to pay indigenous people to teach about their culture and language. There needs to be programs for indigenous language, especially for indigenous youth who want to learn more about their culture.
Thank you.
The Chair: Thank you.
Theland Kicknosway, Youth Ottawa: Good morning, everybody.
[Editor’s Note: The witness spoke in his native language.]
My English name is Theland Kicknosway. I am Cree and Potawatami, from Walpole Island First Nation, Bkejwanong Territory. I want to say thank you to everybody for inviting me here today. I’m going to be talking about what is happening for me at school right now.
There are no indigenous children, and it’s really hard to go and talk to other indigenous youth in and around my community. We need to make sure that there are more of them coming in and getting their education, as I wish to do.
Missing and murdered indigenous women is a big topic. I really want to help find a solution. I want to raise awareness about this problem in Canada. When we talk about the missing and murdered, it’s a big topic to talk about. It has really had some impact on me.
I’ve been doing my run, which is a run for missing and murdered indigenous women, every year. We just finished our third year — 134 kilometres — and next year we are going into our fourth. Every step of the way, we’re always thinking of them. I’m always thinking, why do they have to go? Why can’t they, as they say, live a normal life? That’s what all indigenous youth should have.
When I was nine years old, I had this vision. I wanted to run across Canada, but as a nine-year-old that’s a pretty far destination. We made it a little smaller and we started here in Gatineau. We ran to Kitigan Zibi, where one of the founders of Families of Sisters in Spirit, Bridget Tolley, her mother was killed by the SQ there. We run there in commemoration for them. We’re always thinking of them whenever we’re running, so we need to find an answer for it.
Meegwetch.
The Chair: Thank you, Theland.
William Komaksiutiksak, Youth Ottawa: Good morning, everyone.
[Editor’s Note: The witness spoke in his native language.]
Thank you for having me here today. It means a lot for me to be here and to be able to express myself to everyone in this room.
My name is William Komaksiutiksak, and today I’m representing my youth group that I created called Strong-minded Inuit.
I want to talk a little bit about the intergenerational impact and how it has affected me, my family and my loved ones.
Growing up, I dealt with a lot of abuse. I dealt with addictions. I grew up here in the city, and I had no connections to my culture or to my language. I felt a loss of identity, and it really took a huge toll on me. I know that there are many other families that are dealing with these same issues. That’s just within the cities.
One thing I’m asking for today is we need more funding for our education. In Nunavut, I know roughly 60 per cent of students go to school on an empty stomach, and I myself, I lived up north for a year and a half, and I felt those hunger pains. It’s damaging.
I’m not here today just to talk about problems that I see, but I’m here to provide, in my opinion, what I think is the solution. I truly believe we need funding for outreach workers within cities.
I don’t trust some of the teachers in the schools. I have faced some racism, and that’s why I truly believe outreach work is something that would benefit everybody. For example, Inuit teaching Inuit culture in schools who are passionate about their way of life, I feel that message can get across to everybody. It can get everybody more engaged in indigenizing Canada, and I feel like that could benefit the outreach workers who are working that type of job that could help stabilize families and could do a lot for my people. We would really appreciate that.
Another thing that I’m here today for is we need more Inuit-specific mental health needs, more programs for Inuit not just in the cities but up in Nunavut, up north in places where there are people with suicidal thoughts. My own friends have committed suicide. I am on my healing journey, and I really want to help my people get on that healing journey. That’s why I’m here today.
I want to end this off by saying that the youth need to have communication with the decision makers. We need to have more of this because we need to be heard, so please don’t have this as our last day. All of us here today, we really want to come back and we really want to make change in this world to better everybody.
Thank you for listening to me.
The Chair: Thank you all. Before we begin comments and questions from the senators, I would really like to thank you all for your honesty and for your courage to speak up and say what you need to say from your hearts and your minds.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: Welcome here this morning. It’s very much appreciated to hear from young people. Who do you think should be involved in reconciliation and why?
Mr. Rhead: As a non-indigenous person, I do feel it’s important for all Canadians to be engaged in reconciliation because if only indigenous communities are talking about this, then we’re not all on the same page. This is all Canadian history. The residential schools system is part of our shared history and we can’t ignore that. We have to recognize that that was done by the Canadian government and by the churches.For reconciliation, that has to be something our entire country is having a conversation about. Indigenous peoples are a major part of that conversation, but the Canadian government and all Canadians are also very important.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: Anybody else?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: I agree with him that everybody should be involved with this. There is one key term I really like to use. Rather than “decolonizing,” I’d like to use the word “indigenizing” because that’s more of a positive path for everybody to go on.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: That’s good. Thank you. I have one more question, and it’s for William. I’m not going to try to pronounce your name.
Senator Patterson: Don’t ask what it means.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: Do you have access to a friendship centre here in Ottawa? I believe they have some of those resources that you were talking about.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Yes, I’m very well connected with the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre. I’ve been working on and off there for different contracts, but I know one thing is that funding gets cut. When funding gets cut, a lot of programs are gone.
I was working at this after-school program called Tukimut. It was for young kids. I really love these kids. My contract ended on March 31. The program was still running but just with half the amount of staff for 30 kids, so there would be 2 or 3 staff for 30 kids. Even though my contract ended, I’m so in love with these kids that I volunteer my time, and I started my own music program there. The music is a positive outlet and I give the kids a chance to learn their language through that music.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: That’s very impressive. Thank you very much.
Senator Doyle: Welcome. William, you said you grew up in the city, and we’re told that Aboriginal youth are becoming increasingly urban. As a result of that, do you feel you have a better chance of a more balanced life without some of the gut-wrenching problems that your ancestors had to deal with? Do you view the fact that you’re living here in the city and probably intend to stay in the city as being better for you and better for Aboriginal youth that you’re becoming increasingly urban?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Growing up in the city has its benefits. A better term is it has its highs and its lows. One of the highs, for sure, would be education and not feeling that isolation. It’s better in a sense that just in today’s society, growing up, it’s a healthier lifestyle.
But the thing about living in the city is I have nobody to teach me my language, and I’m struggling to learn it now. But I’m still practising every single day. I never had ways to connect with my culture. My own dad was in a residential school. He never taught me these things growing up and I didn’t know why.
So, it’s hard to say, because if you’re an Inuk living in a small community and then you decide to move down to the city, a lot of Inuit, they tend to lose themselves because it’s a really hard transition.
I don’t know if that clearly answered your question.
Senator Doyle: Yes. Well, for centuries, there has been a lot of difficulty in relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous people and federal and provincial governments with indigenous people. Do you think you can do a better job?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Sorry, can you word that one more time?
Senator Doyle: Would you be able to do a better job? Do you have the confidence with what you know about the relationship between governments and indigenous people that when the time comes, you can do a better job?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: I’m very confident in that, yes.
Senator Doyle: That’s what I wanted to hear you say.
Senator Enverga: Thank you, kids — you are all so young. I’m so impressed with all your courage and passion in helping your own people with different backgrounds. I really appreciate that you’re here today.
William, you mentioned something to do with mental health specific to your community. I would like everybody else on this panel to tell me what kind of specific mental health program you want. What am I missing here? What are the types of programs that you are missing so we can prevent youth suicide? Can you tell us what are we missing here? There must be something that we’re missing.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: In my opinion, one thing that I was doing with this youth group that I created is we make art in all forms, based on our culture and using our language. So if somebody likes to make music, then they make their music. If somebody likes to do visual arts, then they do that. Art therapy treatment is really good. I have my own family going through some struggles. I actually had someone looking for art therapy. She is too old to go to this one program. Everywhere it costs, and my people shouldn’t have to pay for their healing path.
Senator Enverga: Could the other panellists let us know more? There is something that we’re missing. That’s why we are out of touch with the youth.
Emma Buchanan, Coordinator, Ottawa Youth Engagement Committee, Youth Ottawa: I don’t know if I can add something. Is that okay? Something that you said to me last night that really struck me is that sometimes we think literally, like, “Oh, we need mental health services.” But I think something that you were saying that really stuck with me when we were having a discussion last night is that mental health help is not always in the form of a mental health counsellor. It’s like William was saying, connecting to your culture, because a lot of the reasons that Inuk people get suicidal thoughts, from what I have heard from you, is they are so disconnected from their culture and their way of life when they come to the city, and not just because of that but because of a history of trauma.
Having more programs available where Inuk people and people from all nations can connect with our culture can help with mental health because it’s not just always this mental health service.
I think something that you were mentioning a lot as well is having more mental health services up north. There isn’t that. There's a lot of fly-in doctors that stay for a day. They have no idea about the culture. They don’t know anything about the circumstances, so it doesn’t actually help that much. It’s very temporary. That was something else you were mentioning that I think is important to note, something that maybe we’re missing.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Thank you.
Mr. Kicknosway: I want to say culture and tradition is a really big key for opening the door for actually understanding more of why it happens, because it always comes back to that question: Why does this happen in reserves, off reserves, just everywhere in general? So even having that hands-on experience is different than hearing and reading about it.
Mr. Rhead: As a non-indigenous person, I can’t tell you what it’s like to have mental health issues, especially up north where you’re very isolated. But I just know that talking last night and talking with Theland’s mother Elaine, the fly-in doctors, we were talking about community and building a place where people can be comfortable to share their feelings, share what they are thinking about, learn more about their language and culture. But also just hearing how few fly-in doctors there are per reserve, it kind of shocked me, because I personally have more doctors assigned to me than assigned to full communities. Personally, I would guess, anyways, that both parts of that need to be addressed, but again, I don’t have that lived experience. I just have my own experiences.
Senator Enverga: I know you’re expecting or you want some more professionally trained people who understand the culture. Can you tell us how your elders can help you at the same time? What are the elders telling the youth at this time?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Elders teaching us traditional knowledge is very important. I don’t know how to express it, but the lifestyle that even my father lived compared to what I live is very different. My father lived in a community of 200 people. I’m trying to explain this in the best way possible. For instance, at the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre, they have an elder and youth program. Just getting those teachings from somebody that has the wisdom and that has that lived experience that a lot of us are missing nowadays, that’s why our elders are so important. That’s why they are so respected.
Mr. Kicknosway: Our knowledge keepers, they have a higher mark in our communities. It’s always good for the youth and the children to come in and meet with them, so we should have more youth and elder gatherings so everybody can come together and share their stories with everybody, and not just by the friendship centres but also by the city to run a First Nations, Metis and Inuit camp for youth and elders.
The Chair: I would like to ask a follow-up question. William, you talked about the Inuit Ottawa youth centre, and Theland, I think you mentioned the friendship centres. One of you also talked about the funding. It basically sounds like it’s unstable, that it’s year-to-year. Would you suggest that the funding be on more than a one-year cycle? What are your thoughts on that?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Yes, I really truly believe that places like Wabano, Odawa, Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre, there are so many other places that need more funding because the things that they are doing for the people that use those services, they are making huge changes in people’s lives, and they are putting people on a positive path. And to have funding cut, I know a lot of the youth from certain programs, they get sad when funding gets cut. We have to wait and wait and wait. When we’re waiting, we’re not in the right mindset. In terms of funding for those healing programs, for those land trips that we were talking about, and for being able to express our culture in a safe and loving environment, I truly believe that all those organizations need more funding.
Mr. Kicknosway: We need a good relationship so that we can keep running these programs for a longer time. Bringing everybody together is, like you said, a loving, caring and safe space for everybody. When you bring everybody together, it’s more that connection with each other.
Ms. Buchanan: Something I’ll add briefly, which I’m sure you’re getting from these guys, is the need for space. We talked a lot about that. Elaine, who is Theland’s mother, was at our gathering last night. She was saying that there’s obviously a lot that non-indigenous people can do as allies, but one of the most important things we can do — because there are lots of things we can’t do, I, as a non-indigenous person — is to help create space.She was talking about the Thunderbird centre out West. Is that what your mom was talking about?
The Chair: Thunderbird House.
Ms. Buchanan: Spaces like Thunderbird House, having way more of those in the country and having funding that doesn’t end and is not volatile for those sorts of organizations, because they can be more important.That’s something that we, as non-indigenous people, can contribute to as well: space. There is a lot that is inappropriate for us to do, obviously, but I think that’s the most important thing.
I will say that from reading over the notes from the forum, one of the big things was talking about space, and also about these centres and how important they are. It’s not just coming from these guys; it’s coming from all the participants at the forum that that’s something that is really important. It was repeated over and over.
The Chair: Daxton, how do you see the non-indigenous youth interacting in such spaces?
Mr. Rhead: I know I have visited the Wabano Centre before. It’s a beautiful facility. I echo what they’re saying about the funding. We see so many services across Canada that are underfunded for indigenous peoples.
I also agree with what Emma was saying. I can’t teach somebody about their culture because I don’t have that, but I can help create space to let other people learn about their culture. I can be an ally and create a space where people feel connected and have a sense of community where they can learn. Learning about other cultures is really important for non-indigenous people. It’s an important activity for all Canadians so that we understand one another better.
I’ve met a lot of people who maybe have some backward ideas about indigenous people. Oftentimes it’s not necessarily that they’re trying to be rude or disrespectful; it’s that people in this country still don’t know much about indigenous cultures, and I think that’s a really disappointing thing in 2017.
Senator Christmas: First, I congratulate Youth Ottawa for addressing the whole issue of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. I find that very encouraging. The thought that occurred to me as I was listening to you speak is that this is reconciliation happening right in front of us, so it’s very encouraging.
Mr. Rhead,I was struck by your comment that you thought the curriculum in schools was not the problem, and then you went on to say that some teachers are not comfortable teaching about indigenous people. Could you elaborate on why you see it that way?
Mr. Rhead: Yes. Last night, we were having a discussion about how we can make change in schools. The first thing that came up, of course, was rewriting the textbooks, but in a lot of ways, teachers don’t use the textbooks that much. Indigenous history is supposed to be taught in the curriculum, but there are still a lot of classes that don’t teach it.
We were seeing that it wasn’t so much about doing all this bureaucratic work to change the curriculum; it was more about changing how it’s taught and making sure that all students are taught about what went on in their country, and taught about it from an indigenous perspective as well, because it’s very Eurocentric. History class in Grade 10 is very much about the First and Second World Wars. Many classes don’t touch on the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop.
The big thing for us was hiring indigenous people to come and talk about it and do some hands-on activities, as well as making sure teachers know how to teach it and giving jobs to indigenous people to help make sure it’s taught properly.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: One thing that was really important to me was the outreach work, having someone who is passionate about their way of life going in and doing hands-on work. Inuit love doing hands-on work. That’s how we learn, by watching and with stories. Like I was saying earlier, that truly does, in my opinion, benefit everybody. It will benefit indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. People will get educated that way.For instance, having our elders go in, or someone who knows the traditional teachings and who can share what the meaning is, I feel they can do a better job than just a teacher. I’m not saying “just a teacher,” but having that indigenous person go in would truly help stabilize a lot of families.
Senator Christmas: This question is for anyone on the panel, but I’d be interested to hear Ms. Buchanan’s and Mr. Rhead’s comments.What advice would you give to a non-indigenous youth, or their parents, who had a real interest in developing a stronger relationship with indigenous people? You’ve obviously travelled that journey and that road. If you were to advise other non-indigenous young people, what would you suggest?
Ms. Buchanan: A couple of things. I went to see Children of Godthis weekend, which is a play about the residential schools and a story about a particular family. Going to more events that are put on by indigenous peoples — so not things that are about indigenous people but not by indigenous people; rather, indigenous events by indigenous people on indigenous topics —I think is educating and re-educating yourself.I try to go to more of those events than other events, to be honest with you, because I think it’s so important. I try to talk to people afterwards — not take too much of their time or ask them hopefully not inappropriate questions, but we all make mistakes — but just trying to learn as much as you can and being open to it.
Right now, I’m working my way through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, and I think every non-indigenous person should be forced to read that. I think that should be mandatory in the school system. I can’t talk enough about it. I think, at the very least, reading the 94 recommendations and figuring out where in your life you fit into those 94 recommendations and how you can bring at least 5 of those into your day-to-day life.
If there were two things, I would say those are the biggest things, and just having conversations. I’m privileged to sit with these guys and talk to them about their experiences and trying to find experiences where you can be honoured to talk with these folks.
Mr. Rhead: I would say a lot of the same things in terms of taking opportunities. Especially in Ottawa, we have a lot of opportunities to learn about indigenous history, especially around Canada 150. There are many different conferences going on trying to make sure that we learn about that.I’ve been fortunate enough to go to some conferences about reconciliation and just attend and listen to the presenters and talk with the other participants. It’s really about having conversations. You can do some research online, of course, but I was fortunate enough to learn a lot from my teachers or to have my teachers spark that interest, as well as do research on my own. Really, it’s about attending conferences and forums and just using those opportunities that you have in the community. You may not know anyone who is indigenous, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn about indigenous cultures, because there are places and activities that you can go to and educate yourself.
Senator Christmas: Thank you again. Congratulations again to Youth Ottawa. I’m very proud to be able to say I’ve known you.
Senator Pate: I want to echo the thanks of Senator Christmas and others to Youth Ottawa for organizing this and to all of you for coming and for all of the work you do all the time.
I have a broader question. First I want to ask, which school do you go to?
Mr. Rhead: I go to Glebe Collegiate.
Senator Pate: When my son was going there, I don’t think he had access to that kind of education, so I’m glad to see Glebe has changed.
Mr. Rhead: I actually found in elementary school about five and a half years ago, at Lady Evelyn, I had some teachers there who went to a PA day conference. We were talking about having conferences at PA days. They learned about Shannen Koostachin, who I assume most of you are familiar with. They really brought that back and integrated it into the curriculum and into their teaching.
Senator Pate: I think my son was about 10 years too early, then, because he was at Lady Evelyn as well.
When you were talking, William — I’m sorry, I don’t want to massacre your last name. I hope you don’t mind if I call you all by your first names.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: That’s okay.
Senator Pate: When I was up North just a little while ago, I was invited to talk about things around police accountability and what was happening in terms of the jails. I was shocked to see that they had just cancelled a food program, a meal program that was available in the community for anybody to come and have dinners. They still had a breakfast program and I think part of a lunch program, but they were cancelling the meal program, yet there were four new jails where there had been one jail the last time I attended.
The stats coming out for youth are particularly appalling for indigenous young people in terms of the numbers of young people in jail. What I saw there and what I’ve seen over my time in working with young people in custody, on the streets and in different contexts is that 46 per cent of the young women who are in custody now are indigenous youth. The rate of young men is high as well; it’s about a third. And it costs at least $100,000 a year, closer to about $200,000, to keep those kids in custody.
If I asked each of you, what would you do if you had $100,000 for each young person who you know has struggled, what would you spend that money on?
Second, there’s been a lot of talk about mental health. I want to ask you to explore a bit more about what you mean by mental health supports and the types of programs you run. Many of the young people, the men and women I’ve known for many years, the type of mental health support they talk about needing is a place to live, a community of support and maybe sometimes professional mental health workers, but much of the mental health work they need is someone to do things with them, support them and assist them so they have elder support and that sort of thing. If you could also include with that some of those ideas, that would be great.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Being able to break down the intergenerational impact and what the actual effects are towards people who are going through that, even the people going through it don’t always understand what they’re going through.
What I would do with $100,000, to be honest with you, I have all these healing paths that I’ve been aiming towards. I started this youth group, Strong Minded Inuit, and it’s gotten a lot of other Inuit engaged. One thing we’re committed to is suicide prevention and building up strong indigenous communities. Like I was saying earlier, I really, truly believe that art is a good way for people to express themselves, especially if they don’t like to express themselves with their voice. What I would do with that money is create my own music and art programs.
Further than that, I would have educated people who know what the effects of the intergenerational impact are and be able to break it down to somebody step by step. To be on that healing journey is not a one-day thing; it’s actually a whole lifetime of learning about what has happened and what is still happening today.
I truly believe that some people express themselves best through art, so that’s just one thing that I really want to keep pushing. I see a lot of youth in this music program that I’m volunteering my time for, and I see value in them. I see that they want to express themselves, and they are expressing themselves through the art that they are really passionate about. Just thinking right now with that question you asked, that’s my answer.
Mr. Kicknosway: I would put that money towards the Families of Sisters in Spirit. They are a non-profit organization led by Bridget Tolley, Kristen Gilchrist and Colleen Cardinal.
It would be nice, but sometimes just raising our voices and letting people know that we’re here and that we’re not going anywhere is important. It’s also important that we all know the same knowledge together. If we can move forward with that, then it gives everyone that opportunity.
Mr. Rhead: $100,000 is a fair amount of money. Just off the top of my head, I think I would want to spend that on advocacy and educating all Canadians. I’m not artistic like William. I can’t do those sorts of art programs. I think a lot of those hands-on activities are really good for helping on the ground. Along with that as well is helping to make change, especially in the government, which is why it is really great to be meeting here today and talking with decision makers. We’re hoping that conversation continues.
I’d probably want to spend $100,000 on advocacy work, trying to educate Canadians and trying to change people’s perspectives in Canada. There is still a lot of backwards thinking and a lot of hate towards other people. That’s something I see as discouraging and something that I see needs to change, because getting to know your fellow Canadians, your fellow human beings, is really important to me.
I think hands-on is vital to help people right in the moment now, but also making change for the future.
Ms. Buchanan: Something I would add, actually not really from my own thoughts but something from Elaine — I keep talking about Elaine because she’s amazing and such a knowledge keeper. I think something she was mentioning, especially for incarcerated youth, is the Elizabeth Fry Society. The funding keeps getting cut from their programming, and they provide a lot of support to all sorts of people who are incarcerated, but especially racialized people. The programs that they have in place for indigenous people and indigenous youth who are incarcerated are invaluable. She was talking about that.
She was also mentioning that a lot of mental health issues, and also for those that are incarcerated, come from issues in the LGBTQ community, especially for indigenous people in the two-spirit community. So not a lot of acceptance around that, and there’s not a lot of outreach available, especially in the prisons for people who are in prison who are two spirited. Do they go in a male prison? Do they go in a female prison? Neither are appropriate. There are no services.
Those are things that the Elizabeth Fry Society works with, and I think that, if I had $100,000, besides agreeing with what all of these guys said, I think also it would go toward that sort of work.
Senator Pate: I was talking 100,000 per young person. We are spending more than that to jail young people. So if any of you, particularly Youth Ottawa, is interested in sponsoring a young person out of custody, call me.
Ms. Buchanan: Okay.
Senator Patterson: I’d like to thank everyone for the great contribution you’re making to the ambitious study our committee is undertaking. I do apologize; I had to be late this morning.
I’d like to ask William Komaksiutiksak a question that’s been on my mind lately, but maybe I can give a little background for fellow senators. What is the second-largest population of Inuit in Canada after Iqaluit? Where is that community? Senator Pate, right here in Ottawa.
This past couple of weeks and months, we’ve had very sad stories coming from the Inuit Nunagat, stabbing deaths and standoffs involving distraught youth. They are becoming really commonplace. Young, typically men, have guns and have confrontations with police. Communities are locked down. It’s almost a weekly event in the Inuit regions.
Now we have a flood. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it seems to me like there’s a flood of Inuit coming to Ottawa. I think it’s happening in Montreal as well, but I know a bit more about Ottawa. There are amazing services here. I know there could be more, but the only addiction treatment centre for Inuit, that I know of — there may be something in Kuujjuaq, — but the main addiction treatment centre for Inuit in Canada is here in Ottawa, Mamisarvik. There’s the Inuit Children’s Centre. There’s childcare. There’s employment counselling. There’s language instruction. There’s dedicated medical services. There’s Tungasuvvingat Inuit. There’s Nunavut Sivuniksavut. A lot of people are saying, “Gee, there’s more here in Ottawa than we can get in our small community,” and they’re coming here and forming communities. There’s country food served on a regular basis.
What I’d like to ask is you this: We talk about the large numbers of First Nations people that are moving off-reserve into cities. What about the Inuit? They seem to be moving South in great numbers. Sometimes they come for medical and stay. They come for other employment. They come for school and stay.
William, I’d like to ask you — and you know the community here in Ottawa — am I exaggerating when I say Inuit are flooding into the city? What’s the future? This is my question. Where do you see the future of Inuit in Canada, particularly looking at this city?
I’m sorry I’m going on a bit, Madam Chair, but a previous minister of health for Nunavut stopped buying spaces in Mamisarvik addictions centre for Inuit from Nunavut because he said, “We should be doing this at home. We shouldn’t be sending people out for treatment. It should happen in our communities. The money should be spent in Nunavut.” The centre actually closed down last year.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: I heard about that.
Senator Patterson: Because of that decision about keeping our money at home in Nunavut.
I’m just wondering: What do you see as the future for Inuit in Canada? Should we be providing supports, even the government of Nunavut, more support? You talk about funding needs for Inuit in Ottawa, recognizing that we have the numbers to provide support and programs and that Inuit are voting with their feet and coming here, or is it sad that people are leaving their homeland? What do you see looking forward?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Honestly, I think there should be enough funding in both cities and up North. Everything wants to live a different lifestyle. I myself, growing up in a city, I enjoy the cities, but I do see myself, one day, moving back up North and living the Inuk lifestyle.I truly believe there needs to be funding both in cities and up North.
The living expenses up North is one of the reasons why people move down South. Education is another reason why people move down south. In Iqaluit, just a few years ago —I don’t know what’s going on with this now — they wanted to make a beer and wine store there.
Senator Patterson: It’s being built as we speak.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Yes. That’s something that really bothered me because what they said that they’re going to do with some of the money they make from that beer and wine store is a treatment centre, which is ridiculous, in my mind.If they need to build a treatment centre after the beer and wine store, that is only being put there to damage families.I truly believe that if there was a treatment centre there before there was a beer and wine store, a lot of people voting for that would have a very different opinion afterwards.
Having funding both places is the key because there are Inuit that want to go all over Canada. Not every Inuk wants to live up North, but, at the same time, the Inuit living up North are not getting the support that they need from our country, from living with 10 people in a small house to not having enough food.
Our way of life has changed. Our people used to not always live in the same place. We followed the animals. We kind of went with the flow, and, for us to be isolated in small communities with not the amount of support that we need to be transitioning into the society that we’re living in now — sorry, I’m kind of losing myself with what I’m trying to say here, but I truly believe that there needs to be funding both in cities and up North, an equal amount of funding to provide the same services.
The Chair: I wonder if the other witness could adapt that same question for their own situation. For Theland, how do you envision your future compared to living here in Ottawa versus — I think at least your mother was from Saskatchewan, probably from a reserve community. And Daxton, you could sort of say how you see your future as a non-indigenous person and your relationships with indigenous people.
Mr. Kicknosway: One thing I see in my future is I want my children to know all of the things that happened. I want them to know what happened to my parents or their grandparents. I want them to grow up, whether it’s on-reserve or off, treated equally and not being put down just because of who they are.
Mr. Rhead: I envision in my future just continuing in my own family, teaching about respecting others, learning about other people, and not passing judgment on an entire culture or several cultures.
I really think it’s important what William was saying about treatment centres and where people live. People live in cities and people live in smaller communities.
My future would be trying to educate myself about other Canadians, not just indigenous peoples but also newcomers to Canada, and making sure that my own family knows about Canada’s history. I have had conversations with my grandparents, who had no idea what was going on even while it was happening. The only time that they interacted with an indigenous person, it was viewed as kind of looking down on them or feeling sorry for them. My grandparents now really want to learn about this history that they didn’t have the same opportunities we have today to learn about, even though people in the government, as we see with Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce, did know what was going on. I see my future just staying educated and making sure that people know what is going on in our country so we can make changes.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: You have mentioned that education is important, as we all know it is. Do you have easy access to job training programs as an indigenous person here in Ottawa? Anyone can answer.
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: I would say there are a fair bit of resources for being able to build a resumé and things like that. For somebody who has faced almost a whole lifetime of trauma, though, being able to actually go and apply for a job and having that anxiety, that feeling that maybe your parents never taught you how to deal with because they are still going through the effects of the intergenerational impact themselves — I truly do believe, like I continue to say, outreach work, offering jobs to our indigenous people to educate non-indigenous people on the history of this land, and not just the history of this land, but just to share the culture, because once people start to see culture that they have never seen before, and they see that — for instance, there are a lot of Inuit. We love to joke around a lot. We love to put smiles on each other’s faces. To have either First Nations, Inuit or Metis going into schools and being able to give those teachings and pass them on, to me that's the key to making real change in this country.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: Thank you for your answer. What I’m trying to get at is do you face racism when you go to apply for a job?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: I myself haven’t faced anything like that, but I have heard stories. Not necessarily of jobs, but just day-to-day living. When we are seen on the street, it’s just “There’s that stereotypical Inuk that is on the side of Rideau Street, and they are completely under the influence, not knowing what is going on.”
Talking about jobs, though, it’s not so much about racism. It’s more that our people haven’t completely adapted to this lifestyle. Everything is changing really fast for my parents and my grandparents. Just being able to provide a healthier, more understanding space for First Nations, Inuit and Metis to be able to work, because I know that a lot of people out there, they are very hard workers. They just need to know how to get themselves out there.
Senator Lovelace Nicholas: As I said, there are training programs out there as well. The reason why I’m asking this is because this is what people face in my area. It doesn’t matter how much education you have, when you go to apply for a job, you face racism, and then a non-indigenous person will get the job. That’s what I was just trying to get at. Thank you for your answer.
Senator Patterson: I’m going to ask a controversial question, undoubtedly. You stimulated it, William. You were talking about the availability of alcohol in Nunavut. You probably know there are now plans to poll the residents of Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet on a beer and wine store. Residents of Iqaluit — I wasn’t one of them — voted 70-plus per cent in favour of a beer and wine store.
We’re all familiar with the problems of alcohol, which seem to be implicated in violence and self-destructive behaviour very often, and probably also hurt people in Ottawa. There are very many successful Inuit; there are also Inuit homeless on the street.
How is the legalization and sale of marijuana in Ontario and in the territories going to affect Inuit youth in particular? What are people in your community saying? Is this going to be better than alcohol? Is it going to make things worse?
I would be interested in your opinions, because we’re going to have to deal with the bill. Maybe not in this committee, but the Senate is going to have to deal with the bill. The government of Nunavut is grappling with what it is going to do and hasn’t figured out a plan yet, from what I know. Is this going to be beneficial to Inuit youth or are there going to be challenges? Do you have any advice or thoughts on that?
Mr. Komaksiutiksak: Honestly, my thoughts on that are that drugs and alcohol are bad for our communities, but I do not see that making any difference, because if somebody wants to go and have a joint or whatever their thing is, you can get that from many places. I do not see how that will benefit, and I do not see how that will make any difference.That’s my point of view just off the top of my head, what I’m thinking right now. All I know is that drugs and alcohol aren’t good for my community.
Senator Patterson: Thank you.
The Chair: Theland, did you have a comment on that question?
Mr. Rhead: The only thing I would add is from my perspective, as William was saying. I don’t know much about the more northern communities, the more isolated communities, but I know that it’s not hard to access marijuana if you want it. Personally, I don’t use drugs. I’m just putting that on the record. I happen to know that it’s not hard to access it.
Marijuana is, in some ways, not as damaging as alcohol. I have heard, anyways, that it’s not supposed to be quite as addictive. I didn’t think we were going to be talking about marijuana when I came here today, but the legalization isn’t really going to change people using it. People are already using marijuana and people are going to continue to use marijuana. I think it’s not healthy, really, for anyone. It’s arguable in a medicinal sense. I think that’s kind of up to the community, what the community wants to do, but I don’t think that will really change how many people use it.
Ms. Buchanan: I can’t really comment, obviously, on up North. I don’t have the personal experience, and I feel like maybe this is not the most concrete or tangible way of answering your question. Dealing with the problem of drugs and alcohol in indigenous communities is obviously something I have no personal experience with, but recognizing, as these guys have been bringing up many times over today, I think that that is more of a symptom of a greater problem. I’m sure everybody knows that, but just recognizing that we kind of need to take a few steps back when it comes to talking about drugs and alcohol and seeing why people use those things and where those traumas came from and what that led to. A very valid question, and it’s something you folks have to deal with on the ground, obviously, in terms of bills and such, but maybe it comes down to something a little more complex as well.
The Chair: We have come to the end of our session. I would like to thank our youth witnesses this morning. You have provided our committee with some very concrete suggestions and recommendations. On behalf of the members of the committee, I would like to thank you all for speaking so honestly and openly and for the suggestions that you have given us.Also thank you, Emma, for facilitating the youth and helping them generate these words that they have given to us this morning.
Quite clearly, as Senator Christmas said, we have right before us a very inspiring example of reconciliation in progress. As we all know, we all live on Mother Earth. We all share this planet. It’s very inspiring to hear these youth and see how they are working towards a better future for each and every one of us.
Senators, this is our last meeting for this session, so before we adjourn, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all the work that you have put in this spring. This new study that we have embarked upon is a particularly ambitious but important study. I think that this spring we have gotten some very important background work done, and I hope all senators have a great summer. We will be back and ready for phase two of this study in the fall. I have a feeling that Senator Pate has a question that she wants to ask.
Senator Pate: Not so much a question, Madam Chair, but I wanted to thank you very much for your leadership of this committee, particularly through some challenging times just in the short time that I have had the privilege and responsibility of being a part of it, so thank you for that.
I just wanted to make a humble suggestion. I think William’s suggestion made a great report title, “Indigenize Canada,” for the nation-to-nation study. So I would like to propose that and that we credit William with that idea, if it’s the will of the committee.
The Chair: Okay. Thank you very much. Everybody have a good summer.