THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Wednesday, February 25, 2026
(22)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples met this day at 6:46 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Michèle Audette, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Audette, Boudreau, Clement, Francis, Greenwood, McCallum, McPhedran, Pate, Prosper and White (10).
Participating in the meeting: Sara Fryer and Allison Lowenger, Analysts, Library of Parliament; Chelsea DeFazio, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the committee began its examination of the government response, dated April 26, 2024, to the committee’s fourteenth report (interim), entitled Honouring the Children Who Never Came Home: Truth, Education and Reconciliation, tabled in the Senate on July 19, 2023, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament.
WITNESSES:
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:
Valerie Gideon, Deputy Minister;
Darlene Bess, Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Partnerships;
Krista Robertson, Senior Director, Litigation, Resolution and Policy.
Library and Archives Canada:
Jasmine Bouchard, Assistant Deputy Minister, User Experience and Engagement;
Roxane Lafrenière, Director General, Government Record Branch.
Valerie Gideon and Jasmine Bouchard each made a statement and, together with Krista Robertson, answered questions.
At 8:05 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 8:10 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the committee continued its examination of the Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders events.
It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording and/or transcription of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members or their staff, and that the audio recording and/or transcript be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.
It was agreed that the communications plan for the Voices of Youth Indigenous Leaders 2026 event be adopted.
At 8:25 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Sébastien Payet
Clerk of the Committee