QUESTION PERIOD — Indigenous Services
Support for Indigenous Communities
October 28, 2025
Good afternoon, minister. There are millions of dollars in program funding set to sunset by March 31, 2026. As you well know from your time as Grand Chief, communities, tribal councils and organizations rely heavily on these programs for health, well-being. They are priorities for First Nations communities.
While stable, predictable and long-term funding is always preferable, allowing these programs to expire would mean severe layoffs and uncertainty for First Nations.
Minister, in this new age of austerity, how will your department reconcile the need to cut spending by 15% over the next three years with ensuring that First Nations do not lose access to critical program funding?
As a minister, I was heavily involved with the process for comprehensive review. I worked closely with the Minister of Finance.
I am aware that many senators are eagerly awaiting the news on November 4 regarding the budget. I am confident in the outcomes we are going to see there.
The whole-of-government approach is one that reflects a need for review efficiency. I have done my work for efficiency. I have also done my work to ensure I protect the investments we’ve had over the past 10 years. I am going to hold this position to ensure that future investments are further aligned with the greatest amount of detail and support to First Nations and where they want to be.
We are not here to determine outcomes. We are here to build relationships. We trust communities to know what they want for themselves. I am going to ensure that my work as a minister reflects that process and that I have the funds to do it.
Thank you, minister. Given the uncertainty, the bureaucratic burden and the inability to plan that are created by program funding, will your government look to move to stable, long-term funding arrangements in the near future?
As part of the work we are doing, I want to reference that in many of the OAG reports a lot of the historical work we’ve done to co-develop and co-define was based on a space of stability. That is the best approach.
When we ask our partners to invest in defining what good work is, we also have to invest in our partners to know they have the capacity and the financial backing to do that good work. That’s important to me as a minister.
Yes, I think this is progress, and we are moving towards that space.
