Routine Proceedings
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-326, An Act to amend the Territorial Lands Act. [Member spoke in Inuktitut and provided the following text:] ᐅᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔩ, ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᐳᖓ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᒪᓕᒐᒃᓴᓐᓄ ᓂᓪᓕᕈᓐᓇᕋᒪ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᖅ ᓇᓕᒧᓕᕆᐊᖃᕋᓗᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᓄᓇᖅᔪᐊᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᖏᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᕐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔫᑉ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓱᖢᑎᒃ, ᓯᕗᓂᖓᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐋᔩᖃᑎᒋᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᓂᑰᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᑐᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᔪᒪᒻᒪᖔᑕ ᓄᓇᓕᕆᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᓄᓇᖓᓂ. ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᑦ ᑕᑎᒋᓗᒋᑦ ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᓕᒃ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓄᑦ ᐱᒋᐊ…
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[Member spoke in Inuktitut as follows:] ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑎᒃᓯᔩ ᐋ ᐊᐱᕆᖅᑳᕆᐊᖃᕋᒪᒎᖅ ᑖᓐᓇ ᒪᓕᒐᒃᓴᖅ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᔪᒪᓂᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᓱᓐᓇᕐᒪᖔᖅ ᑐᒃᓯᕋᖅᐳᖓ. [Inuktitut text interpreted as follows:] Madam Speaker, I wanted to inquire if it is possible to make an amendment to my bill. [English]
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Uqaqtittiji, the NDP supports an amendment that would ensure it is the CRTC, not the cabinet, deciding what kind of content media can produce. Can the member explain why this is not a form of government control that other parties are talking about?
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Uqaqtittiji, I am pleased to represent Nunavut in speaking to Bill C-11, an act to amend the Broadcasting Act again. I spoke to this bill before it reached the other place, and I am pleased to speak to the amendments made upon its return to this place. I have heard some of the debate this morning, and throughout the day, I have heard the word “misinformation” used by all parties. It is really unfo…
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Uqaqtittiji, I have mentioned two of them: Isuma TV and Uvagut TV. They highlight the great talent that exists in Nunavut. I hope that more Canadians go to their websites to watch what they can, to learn about Inuit culture and what we do to make sure that Canada is a better place.
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Uqaqtittiji, to put it simply, I very much prefer to have the CRTC determine what is reflected back in what it regulates regarding online streaming as opposed to studio executives who are outside of this country, and that is what we are talking about in the bill. There has already been content regulation for TV, there has been content regulation for radio, and that content regulation needs to happ…
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Uqaqtittiji, to respond to the great question from the member, the bill would help make sure that those major corporations like Netflix and Disney+ do share their profits. They are making huge profits by helping to entertain Canadians. Not only should they be allowed to hire and ensure that there is indigenous content, they should also be contributing some of their profits back to indigenous broad…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am going to read just one sentence from the Canadian Media Producers Association website. I quote: “Canada needs updated broadcasting legislation to ensure we can compete and succeed on the world stage.” Does the member agree that we need to make sure that this bill passes so that Canadians could compete and succeed on the world stage?
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Uqaqtittiji, I agree that there needs to be better privacy protections to ensure our rights are not violated. I wonder if the member could share with us whether he agrees there needs to be greater parliamentary oversight built into the bill.
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for his very informative intervention, where he very clearly stated his concerns with the broad powers the government seems to want to grant itself. Can the member talk about what concerns regular Canadians might have, regular Canadians who have not done anything wrong, and how they may be impacted by the extreme ministerial powers that might emerge fr…
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Uqaqtittiji, given that there are concerns about our privacy rights being infringed upon and that Bill C-26 is not doing enough to protect our privacy rights, I would like to hear what the member thinks needs to happen to make sure this bill is improved.
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Uqaqtittiji, rural and remote indigenous communities are in dire need of housing. Nunavummiut are living in canvas tents in the winter, sleeping in shifts in overcrowded rooms and waiting years for adequate housing. Together, the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik have asked for $500 million over three years, starting in the upcoming budget. Will the government properly invest in Nunavut …
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for his thoughtful intervention. This is indeed a difficult debate because we are talking about something that is inevitable for all of us. The difference is ending suffering and how some people have the privilege to die with dignity while others have no choice but to feel like ending their lives through suicide. This is a very difficult question or de…
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Uqaqtittiji, I had the wonderful privilege of welcoming the member for York Centre to my community in Iqaluit and we had a wonderful time there. I want to ask the member a specific question about the “Final Report of the Expert Panel on MAiD and Mental Illness”, from May 2022, because I really appreciated the refocus on mental illnesses. In that report, “mental illness” is said to be for those who…
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Uqaqtittiji, I want to ask a question about this statement. The Conservatives have quoted Tiff Macklem saying, “inflation in Canada increasingly reflects what's happening in Canada”. To me that shows that Loblaws, which had a 38% increase in its third-quarter profits in 2022, is not being taxed enough. Does the member agree that there needs to be a windfall profit tax on corporations like Loblaws?
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Uqaqtittiji, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, if the government had extended the Canada recovery dividend to stores like Loblaws and the oil and gas sector, it would have generated $4.3 billion in revenue. Can the member say that the Liberal government will learn from the Parliamentary Budget Officer and extend that recovery dividend to such box stores?
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for discussing the increased usage of food banks. While this increase has been happening, at the same time Loblaws' gross profits were up by 30.8% in the third quarter of 2022. Corporate greed as such needs to be taxed so families can stop going to food banks. Does the member agree?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise on National Have a Heart Day. I thank the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society for providing ideas on what to do. One can visit haveaheartday.ca to see what one can do towards reconciliation. In advance of budget 2023, I call on the government to implement call for justice 1.3, which reads: We call upon all governments, in meeting human and Indigenous rights obligation…
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Uqaqtittiji, I have been in this debate all day, and I have heard similar responses to this question that I have asked, which is about the disparity between major for-profit corporations raking in billions in profits and people like those he described in his constituency, people struggling to pay for groceries. How does the member explain the disparity between those major corporation profiting in …
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Uqaqtittiji, Nunavut communities want to be part of the solution for climate emergency. They want to stop relying on unreliable and outdated diesel plants. The Kivalliq hydro-fibre link is an Inuit-led project that would transition several Nunavut communities off diesel to renewable energy. The government needs to keep its promises and continue to invest so that this project could become a reality…
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Uqaqtittiji, the Liberals have voted against an excess profits tax on oil and gas that would make them pay what they owe. Despite their promises to end fossil fuel subsidies, they have increased them even though big oil is showing record profits. When will the government extend the Canada revenue dividend to big oil so those profits could be used to help families?
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Uqaqtittiji, allowing big polluters off the hook needs to stop. Does the member agree that as a way to do this there needs to be taxation on big oil, which keeps having record profits? Does the member agree that in order to make sure we are coming up with better solutions, more revenue needs to be put into the Canada revenue?
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Uqaqtittiji, I extend my congratulations to the member and his wife for their anniversary. What I think is broken is oil and gas companies seeing a 1,011% change in their net annual incomes since 2019. That is a $38-billion change, according to Statistics Canada. I would like to ask this member what he tells his constituents as Conservatives continue to protect these profits from taxation, which c…
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Uqaqtittiji, I rise for the last time today, on national Have a Heart Day. Before I begin, I wish safe travels to all of the delegates who attended the Northern Lights trade show here in Ottawa last week. It is an important event that promotes the great work that Nunavummiut are doing to support Canada’s economy. It is a great event to showcase the beauty and talent that artisans from the NWT, Nun…
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Uqaqtittiji, the member for Simcoe North said that he was looking for an invisible money tree. I suggest that he look at Shell, which showed $40 billion in profit in 2022. Does he agree that there needs to be a windfall tax on corporations like these, as well as the removal of the GST on home heating?
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Uqaqtittiji, my question is on a topic that the member did not really speak to, but he is from British Columbia and is aware of the huge indigenous population in British Columbia. Does the member agree that there need to be provisions or regulations added to make sure that indigenous peoples are protected better, especially in the mental health care system, which does not recognize broadly enough …
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Uqaqtittiji, there are real concerns from indigenous communities about MAID. I have heard from constituents of mine who have family in places like British Columbia who are vulnerable, have severe mental health disorders, and have love from their family, but are separated from their family. A mother is very concerned about her daughter. She heard from a friend that her daughter had applied for MAID…
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Uqaqtittiji, given that Canada is founded on indigenous peoples' lands, Canada's colonial history and the impacts of its genocidal policies on indigenous peoples, does the member agree there needs to be regulations and special provisions to make sure indigenous peoples are getting the culturally appropriate, trauma-informed assessments they deserve?
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Uqaqtittiji, Inuit elders have the right to access home care in their home communities. Elders in Nunavut have had to endure many atrocities in their lifetimes, including residential schools, forced religious conversion and the slaughter of their sled dogs. Being forced to leave their families to get care is unacceptable. Most Canadian seniors who need care can get it close to their homes. With th…
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Uqaqtittiji, investing in long-term and continuing care must be a priority. Health care is at a crisis point across the country. What seniors experienced during COVID-19 is what Inuit elders have been experiencing for years. Elders have the right to age in their communities and stay connected with their loved ones without fear of being sent away. In every community that I have visited since I have…
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Uqaqtittiji, if this is really about tax fairness, why do the Conservatives not agree to tax the ultrarich, like Loblaws, which has profited millions while Canadians are struggling to pay for groceries?
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Uqaqtittiji, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Canadian Labour Congress today, which told me its workers are experiencing challenges because of the rising cost of inflation and wages not increasing. Meanwhile, we know of businesses like Imperial Oil, which is making huge profits. It made $2.4 billion in the last quarter, which was a sixfold increase compared to the same quarter last year. I w…
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Uqaqtittiji, I send my regards to the family and friends of the late Dale Culver. They deserve justice. It is absolutely incredible that it has taken six years to charge five RCMP officers in his death. An indigenous policing bill should have been introduced long ago, as the Liberals promised. It is clear they will only take incremental steps to ensure justice for indigenous peoples. When will the…
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Uqaqtittiji, funding is not enough. Government must expand the availability of indigenous-led mental health programs and services. Indigenous-led programs should be included in the non-insured health benefits as insured health care services. When indigenous-led mental health programs are not recognized, the message is clear: Indigenous traditional counsellors and healers do not deserve to be compe…
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Uqaqtittiji, I have also been hearing concerns about government oversight or government interference in this system that would help ensure that children are getting the care that they need. I wonder if the member could elaborate a little more on the importance of the national advisory council on early learning and child care that this bill would develop.
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for mentioning Nunavut a few times in her speech. Indeed, I am quite proud to stand as an NDP member and to have created so much interest in Nunavut. I have seen a record number of MPs come to my riding. Indeed, the minister came to my home community of Iglulik to make the announcements about the day care program, and we are seeing the positive impacts…
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Uqaqtittiji, I really appreciate this bill because it would incorporate into legislation the importance of implementing UNDRIP, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples., as well as make sure that all children are being taken care of. It would create a system to ensure that children are being taken care of. What I also like about this bill is that it would create a nation…
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Uqaqtittiji, I have been hearing a theme from the Conservative members that the choices about child care are being taken from parents. I wonder if the member could explain specifically where in Bill C-35 that choice is being taken away from parents.
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Uqaqtittiji, Inuit elders and indigenous peoples have been calling for the development of Inuit- and indigenous-specific wellness programs. For generations, indigenous peoples have been suppressed and oppressed. Canada’s genocidal policies continue to impact the mental health of indigenous peoples. For generations, indigenous peoples have told all levels of government that indigenous peoples have …
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With regard to the Harvesters Support Grant and the Community Food Programs Fund, broken down by program and fiscal year since 2015-16: (a) how much funding has been allocated to each program to support Northerners’ food priorities and improve conditions for food sovereignty in northern communities; (b) of the funding in (a), how much has been spent; and (c) what actions has the government taken t…
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Uqaqtittiji, I hope the member joins me in congratulating all the athletes who are going to the Arctic Winter Games. I am sure she has constituents in her riding who are attending that great event as well. I have read the bill, and it is great to see there are specific provisions not only for indigenous peoples and indigenous governance but also for implementing the United Nations Declaration on t…
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With regard to all federal funding committed to the creation and maintenance of housing stock in Nunavut, broken down by fiscal year since 2015-16: (a) what was the total amount committed; (b) what was the total amount spent; (c) how much new housing stock was created in Nunavut; and (d) what are the government projections on the number of housing units that will be built in Nunavut by 2030?
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With regard to the Nutrition North program, broken down by fiscal year since 2015-16: (a) what is the total budget for this program; (b) what portion of the budget in (a) was delivered to (i) for-profit retailers and suppliers, (ii) social institutions, such as schools or daycares, (iii) country food processors or distributors, (iv) food banks and charitable organizations, (v) local food growers; …
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With regard to the Specific Claims Research, Development and Submission Program for fiscal years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23, broken down by fiscal year: (a) how many applications for funding were received from (i) claims research units, (ii) bands and First Nations, (iii) Indigenous representative organizations; (b) how much funding was requested by each applicant type in (a); and (c) how much …
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Uqaqtittiji, the member talks about the slice of the pie. In 2020, big online web giants gained $9.7 billion in online advertising. That is the size of the pie we are talking about, and Google and Facebook benefited from 80% of that revenue. Because smaller online platforms such as Isuma TV and Nunavut TV do not have the same negotiability that Google and Facebook have, the bill is quite important…
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Uqaqtittiji, what I do like about this bill is it would provide a role for the CRTC to assist in the negotiation process between web giants and other providers. As I mentioned earlier, web giants are showing profits in revenue of $9.7 billion a year, so they can take advantage any way they want. There are smaller broadcaster platforms that do not have that same revenue, that need the assistance fo…
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Uqaqtittiji, I lived in a time when major cuts were made to the CBC, and I saw the impacts that had on my community in Nunavut. In Nunavut, the CBC is the only provider that consistently and reliably provides broadcasting in Inuktitut. I wonder if the member could share with us whether he agrees that my community deserves to get some of the lion's share of revenue, so that more indigenous language…
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Uqaqtittiji, Jeanette Ageson, with the Independent Online News Publishers of Canada, is quoted as saying that, without these amendments, small newsrooms that are operated by start-up entrepreneurial journalists would have been left out of opportunities to negotiate with web giants. Can the member explain the discrepancy between the Independent Online News Publishers of Canada and how he understand…
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Madam Speaker, Nunavummiut need to hunt to feed their families and to protect themselves from dangerous predators, such as polar bears. Bill C-21 was about getting handguns off the streets, but now with this last-minute amendment, the Liberal government has shown how out of touch it is with the daily lives of Nunavummiut. My community is worried and confused. When will the government stop playing …
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Uqaqtittiji, there are other factors as well that are contributing to climate change and the impacts on calving grounds of caribou. Too much of the mining industry is looking to interrupt calving grounds. There are specific projects that are having impacts that we need to hold accountable to the mining industry, which continues to push for mining to continue in our territories, especially on calvi…
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