QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Awarding of Contracts
November 26, 2024
Minister, your colleague, Randy Boissonnault, assumed a false Indigenous identity, and his company tried to get contracts from your government that were intended for Indigenous-owned businesses.
Even so, the Prime Minister defended him tooth and nail, and Randy Boissonnault is still in the Liberal caucus.
Minister, how does defending a “pretendian” contribute to reconciliation, and why keep him in government when he should have been kicked out, especially considering that your leader booted the first Indigenous justice minister just because she stood up to him?
How do you explain this double standard to the Indigenous people you work with day after day?
Thank you for the question, senator.
Randy Boissonnault has removed himself from cabinet with the agreement of the Prime Minister. He is working to defend his name.
The issues around Indigenous identity are deeply complex. As a government, we have been working to ensure that issues around identity, especially with respect to second-generation cut-off and sexual discrimination within the Indian Act, are addressed.
At the end of the day, senator, the issues of identity and recognition of citizenship need to be at the level of each and every community and nation. It’s not up to the federal government to dictate what those identities look like. For us, in the broader sense, the work we need to do is around ensuring the space is there for communities to get out of the Indian Act and define who their citizens are. It’s really not up to the federal government to do that.
I’m surprised, minister. Your government is doing nothing to fight fraud in Indigenous procurement. We saw it earlier this year with the ArriveCAN scandal, and we’re seeing it again now with former minister Boissonnault. If it’s not shell companies redirecting work to others, it’s lies about the identity of the owners. Meanwhile, Indigenous people are not benefiting from these programs, minister.
As usual, when it comes to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, your government is all talk and no action. As we say back home, it’s just talk, no walk.
Why aren’t the rules being enforced? Do you find this acceptable, minister? How are you going to ensure that these programs benefit Indigenous people, and not fraudsters?
Thank you, senator. The issues around representation are crucial for us. They are very important for us as a government. Yes, they are complex and difficult. I will note that, as a government, we have moved toward ensuring that there is diversity and, in particular, inclusion within our institutions, including the employment of the first Governor General who is Indigenous and the appointment of the first Indigenous Supreme Court Justice. We will continue to ensure representation of Indigenous people at every level of government. That is a commitment that we made in 2015, and that’s a commitment that we will continue to adhere to and address.
