THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, May 16, 2022
(8)

[English]

Pursuant to the order of the Senate of May 5, 2022, the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples met this day in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, and with videoconference, at 2:03 p.m. ET, the chair, the Honourable Brian Francis, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Audette, Coyle, Francis and Pate (4).

Members of the committee present by videoconference: The Honourable Senators Arnot, Brazeau, Christmas, Hartling and Patterson (5)

Participating in the meeting: Sara Gajic, Legislative Clerk and Lori Meldrum, Administrative Assistant, Committees Directorate; Brittany Collier and Sara Fryer, analysts, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee continued its examination on the federal government’s constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples and any other subject concerning Indigenous Peoples. (Topic: Follow up on An Act to amend the Indian Act in response to the Superior Court of Quebec decision in Descheneaux c. Canada (Procureur général))

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Indigenous Services Canada:

Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister;

Paula Hadden-Jokiel, Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations Sector;

Michael Walsh, Senior director of Registration and Integrated Program Management.

Christiane Fox made a statement and, together with Paula Hadden-Jokiel and Michael Walsh, answered questions.

At 2:31 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:33 p.m., the committee resumed.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on May 4, 2022, the committee began its consideration of the subject matter of those elements contained in Divisions 2 and 3 of Part 5 of Bill C-19, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures.

WITNESSES (by videoconference):

Department of Finance Canada:

Brent Almond, Director, Indigenous Taxation Policy;

Roch Vézina, Senior Tax Policy Analyst, Indigenous Taxation Policy.

Brent Almond made a statement and, together with Roch Vézina, answered questions.

At 2:52 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:58 p.m., the committee resumed.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee continued its examination on the federal government’s constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples and any other subject concerning Indigenous Peoples. (Topic: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls)

APPEARING:

The Honourable Marc Miller, P.C., M.P., Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

WITNESSES:

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Daniel Quan-Watson, Deputy Minister, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (by videoconference);

Chantal Marin-Comeau, Director General, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Secretariat.

Daniel Quan-Watson made a statement and, together with Chantal Marin-Comeau, answered questions.

At 3:50 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:51 p.m., the committee resumed.

The minister answered questions.

At 4:13 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Andrea Mugny

Clerk of the Committee