QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Indigenous Services
Funding and Services
May 7, 2026
Minister, what we’ve heard today in the Senate is what Indigenous communities have been hearing for a long time: consultation, talk, reflection, but not a lot of action.
In the wake of your government’s recycled investment announcements for Indigenous communities in the spring fiscal update, you have suggested Indigenous People should look beyond specific sections of the government’s economic statement.
Your office has also said that a table of zeros is nothing for Indigenous communities to be concerned about. How in the world do you justify a communication approach that appears to dismiss and obscure rather than clearly identify dedicated investments for Indigenous priorities?
Why would the Indigenous community have confidence in the sincerity of this government when all they see is zeros next to their priority line items on budgets and fiscal statements?
The question suggests that we should only offer Indigenous Peoples services identified within budgets that pertain to them within Indigenous Services Canada; I have an issue with that. I know the capacity of Indigenous People to perform and participate in other spaces is very real.
Team Canada and the Red Seal work require that we get Canadians ready to build and support the Canadian economy. That means there is also space for Indigenous People in the trades. This is one of the areas where I intend to work very closely with my colleagues to ensure there is a pathway available not only for Indigenous People but for Indigenous women to be visible in this space. That doesn’t mean ensuring they are only within the domain of ISC.
I also want to speak to the historic investments in the area of sports we saw within this budget. Some of the most profound athletes of Indigenous ancestry perform and represent Canada not only within this country but internationally.
So, when I say to look beyond the section of ISC, that things are available to you there, that is what I’m speaking to. You don’t only come to the Minister of Indigenous Services for service as a member of the Indigenous community; you go to every ministry and cabinet. Every ministry everywhere has a component of Indigenous services within it. That even includes Immigration because of the discussions around the Jay Treaty.
So while it might not be clear —
Thank you, minister.
Minister, with all due respect, that’s not good enough. The Indigenous community has been marginalized for decades. Obviously, we think every single ministry should be preoccupied with First Nations People, but particularly Indigenous Services Canada.
We’ve seen the Auditor General point to a lack of thorough implementation of billions of dollars of grants, and now your government appears to dismiss concerns around insufficient investments in Indigenous communities with rhetoric.
When can Canadians expect meaningful investment when it comes to Indigenous communities rather than just announcements and navel-gazing?
Minister, Indigenous communities have seen that now for decades, and nothing ever materializes. After so many years, we’re still talking about not providing drinking water to First Nations people.
Once again, your statement seems to indicate that Indigenous people can only receive service from Indigenous Services Canada, or ISC, where we fund over $30 billion in service and program delivery across the country in sometimes the most remote and isolated places.
While you may call our initiatives navel-gazing, I would say that the $1.5 billion investment into Jordan’s Principle is not navel-gazing. The $600 million we funded in education is not navel-gazing. The $794 million in the Non-Insured Health Benefits program is not navel-gazing. I can go on and on because there are a number of initiatives that we offer to individuals seeking services, and every one of my ministerial colleagues supports this space as well.
