As you say, there has been more money spent, but your government often speaks of reconciliation and closing the infrastructure gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Yet recent reports now place that gap at an estimated $425 billion — this is the reality — with Indigenous leaders expressing skepticism that the 2025 Budget will offer new investment in urgently needed housing, clean water and community infrastructure.

You said that with the anticipated budget, you have faith and are looking forward to what will be there for Indigenous communities. But can you assure this chamber that essential Indigenous services will not be reduced to offset government-induced fiscal pressures and that your department’s commitments in this budget will deliver concrete and measurable improvements for Indigenous communities?

I can assure you that our target is not only a baseline of essential services. Our target is to ensure that we are improving service and meeting communities to define what that service looks like — that it is culture-based, that the outcomes are driven by them and that social determinants are identified in culture, language and identity.

I can also assure you that on November 4, we will have a budget. This is where we will see additional information. My statement was that I feel confident that we’re making the right decisions for Indigenous People. I will also say that I am confident that these decisions meet Canadians where they are right now. We’re in a place where there are extreme challenges and pressures on Canada. We are not sidestepping our obligations that exist outside of that context.

I’m very confident and looking forward to the budget being announced on November 4.

Minister, the Assembly of First Nations, or AFN, and Indigenous Services Canada, or ISC, released a report in 2023 entitled Closing the Infrastructure Gap by 2030, but that target now appears increasingly out of reach. I know you have confidence, but what specific actions will this year’s budget take to finally narrow the $425-billion gap? How will your department measure real progress instead of repeating the same commitments year after year?

Thank you. ISC is, first and foremost, going to work with rights holders in addressing their concerns. I believe that the Assembly of First Nations does really important work. They have always highlighted and pointed to those important questions for communities — the direction they are looking for. This is one document you can reference.

My responsibility and my obligation is to work with rights holders, and that is directly with the community. In terms of the investments they are looking for, those include infrastructure in the community, support in moving forward with major projects, support in the development of relationships and partnerships with other levels of government to see what they would like to contribute to or participate in their region, making sure that mechanisms for economic support in my department —