QUESTION PERIOD — Indigenous Services
Economic Reconciliation Roundtable
June 20, 2024
Senator Gold, tomorrow is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to recognize and celebrate the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada. It’s also a day to underline the contributions that Indigenous businesses and individuals bring to our nation’s economic growth. I applaud the government’s commitment to ensure that 5% of federal contracts are held by Indigenous businesses.
My question focuses more specifically on the outcome of the Economic Reconciliation Roundtable that Minister Hajdu hosted in February, which led to an interesting paper that compiles participants’ reflections, opinions and perspectives.
Can you provide us with an update regarding the next steps? What will the government do with the findings it gathered from the round table? What proposals might the government be considering implementing?
Thank you for your question.
Indeed, after the round table to which you referred, a second round table was held on May 30, 2024, which was to continue the work that was begun earlier. This is a process that is engaged with and involving the partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
The framework that is being developed will align the economic development programs and policies across the government and reflect the distinct priorities that First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and their representative organizations bring forward. Core to this framework agreement, the Indigenous partners in this process are working to identify their economic priorities and to develop proposals to achieve their visions of economic prosperity and well-being.
The round table also aligns with the co-development of the Transformative Indigenous Procurement Strategy and the Government of Canada’s commitment to the implementation of the government’s 5% Indigenous procurement target.
Thank you.
One of the overarching observations in the round table’s paper is, “The number one priority of economic reconciliation is the need for further investments in infrastructure in Indigenous communities.”
In light of those findings, is the government considering modifying its approach to infrastructure investments to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples, to reduce barriers to accessing capital and to accelerate our shared objective of greater economic development?
Thank you for your question.
My understanding is that the government is working with Indigenous peoples to co-develop and implement a $4.3 billion Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy and a 10-year housing and infrastructure strategy. Additionally, through Budget 2024, the government is investing an additional $918 million to help close the housing and infrastructure gaps in Indigenous communities.
All levels of government must work together to solve this crisis, with tangible, lasting Indigenous-led solutions.
