QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Indigenous Self-Determination
September 22, 2022
Welcome, minister. Minister, I’m picking up on questions from some of my colleagues. The tragedies that unfolded at the James Smith Cree Nation have led to a number of Indigenous leaders, including the chief and others, to call for resources to be put in place in the community. You mentioned some of that. In particular, there is a call for greater autonomy, sovereignty and self-determination. That’s obviously key to ensuring that communities have the supports they need to address long-standing and systemic issues that continue to unfold and help create some of the travesties.
They also raised the fact that many in their communities have experienced not just the marginalization and victimization, but also the criminalization and incarceration that other colleagues have spoken about.
In light of this information, what specific actions are you and your government looking at taking to address these issues to ensure that the needs and demands of the survivors are met?
Thank you, senator. I note that this community — three, in fact — is one that Canada is in the process of amalgamating. To your first point about greater autonomy, there is a step there that we are in the process of — confidentially, obviously — undertaking with the community, and to do that in a respectful way. But there are elements we have initiated in the short term: obviously surge supports for mental health, help for community members who need enhanced medical assistance over and above mental health supports, as well as a number of elements that Minister Hajdu herself personally confirmed to the community when she was there in person for one of the funerals.
Indeed, the community has asked for more support in policing and has asked for its own police force. Those are, again, things that need to be implemented over the more medium term, as well as resources to support self-determination.
These are situations of violence. They are far too frequent in Indigenous communities. They have their roots in a number of the elements that you identified. There are socio-economic disparities that have their roots in colonization, and the effects these have had over a series of years will require more investments in education and housing.
This is not a problem that started and began with one individual, as awful an individual as this person appeared to be. It needs a comprehensive response. Thank you for asking the question.
