Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, the NDP asked for the GST to be removed from home heating. I wonder if the member can explain to the House why the Liberals did not listen to us and make sure this tax relief could be extended to people who have to pay a higher cost for home heating.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, Nunavut's birth rate is double the national rate, meaning there are a lot of expenses for Nunavummiut, including diapers and children's clothing. I wonder if the member can share with us what it will mean for Nunavummiut to know they will have some relief.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Uqaqtittiji, Inuit are strong. Inuit are still here. Inuit will thrive. James Partridge, Felix Shappa Taqaugaq, Trey Angoshadluk and Solomon Uyarasuk are a few Nunavummiut who have either been hospitalized or died while at the hands of law enforcement. I thank their families for sharing some of their stories with me. I grieve with those who lost their loved ones. I share their demands for justice …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, 11 of the 25 communities I represent have experienced boil water advisories this year. That is almost half. Even the UN special rapporteur slammed the government for ignoring its obligation to ensure clean drinking water. The Liberals have failed. Nunavut children, families and whole communities should not have to worry about drinking water. When will the Liberal government finally in…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Indigenous Health Equity Fund for fiscal year 2024-25: (a) what are the details of all distinctions-based funding supports delivered to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, including the (i) name of the community or Nation, (ii) amount of funding delivered, (iii) program authority under which the funding was authorized; (b) what is the total number of applications for dis…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to contaminated sites and waste sites in Nunavut: (a) what is the full list of all contaminated sites and waste sites for which the Government of Canada is responsible, broken down by (i) location, (ii) responsible federal department or agency, (iii) date on which the site was first added to the inventory of sites, (iv) priority level, (v) stage or status of remediation; and (b) what a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
[Member spoke in Inuktitut as follows:] ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᐅᖃᖅᑎᑦᓯᔩ ᐃᒃᐸᒃᓴᖅ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖁᑎᒋᓚᐅᕐᒫᒍᑦ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᓯᐅᑎᑕᐅᒋᐊ− ᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᑕ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᑐᒃᓯᐊᕐᕕᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᓕᒃᓯᓯᐊᖅᓯᒪᕗᒍᑦ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᓇᐃᓈᖅᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅᓱᒋᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᕙᒃᑲ ᓲᕐᓗ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔩᑦ ᓘᑦᑖᑦ ᓴᓇᔩᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑏᑦ ᑭᐱᓐᖑᐃᔭᖅ− ᑎᖃᐅᖅᓯᐊᒻᒪᕆᑦᓱᑕᓗ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖓ ᐃᓕᓴᖅᓯᕕᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᒃᓚᖃᑎᒋᓚᐅᕋᒃᑭᒃ ᐃᓄᒐᐃᑦ ᐱᓐᖑᐊᖃᑎᖃᖅᓱᑕ ᓄᐊᑐᕐᓐ ᕼᐊᐃᔾᑯᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᖁᔭᓕᕙᒃᑲ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᑎᒃᓯᕙᒻᒪᑕ ᑐᓴᕐᓈᕋᖅᑎᒍᑎᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖓ ᔮᓂ ᓂᖏᐅᖓᑦ ᒥᐅᕆ ᐅᐃᓪᒪᓐ ᐲᑐᕋᔅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᐃᖓ ᓘᑲᓯ ᐊᒥᓱᒃᑲᓐ…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
[Member spoke in Inuktitut as follows:] ᒫᓐᓇᓵᖅ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᒃᑯᓃᓐᖔᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔨᑕᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒨᓵᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᓱᓂ ᐊᑐᑦᓯᐊ− ᖏᒻᒪᑕᒎᖅ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᒧᑦ ᐃᒥᑦᓯᐊᕙᒻᒧᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑲᖅᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᑎᓕᐅᕆᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᓯᔾᔩᒋᐊᖁᔨᒻᒪ− ᕆᒃᓱᓂ, ᐊᓱᐃᓪᓛᒃ ᓕᐳᕈᓪᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᓐᓲᕙᑎᕝᑯᑦ ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᒌᓕᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑕᐅᑦᓯᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᔾᔮᓐᖏᓚᑦ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᖅᓱᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᕐᓂᒃ ᓈᒻᒪᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐋᒃᑳᑲᑕᒃᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᒻᒪᑕ ᐊᓯᔾᔨᕆᐊᕈᑎᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒐᒃᓴᖅ C-61 ᑕᐃᒃᑯᓇᓐᖔᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᒃᑯᓃᓐᖔᖅᑐᓂᒃ, ᖃᖓ ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᖃᕈᓐᓃᓂᐊᖅᐸᑦ ᑲᓐᓲᕙᑎᕝᑯᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᕋᖅᑐᕈᓐᓃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᓂᒃ [Inuktitut …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Uqaqtittiji, it is my first time rising in the House today and I would like to acknowledge that it is International Inuit Day. I hope everyone enjoys this day. There is a community in Nunavut called Kimmirut that just had a four-day power outage. As winter is coming quite soon, a lot of people were quite concerned about their well-being because of having no power in that community. I wonder if the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, more and more indigenous people are still dying at the hands of law enforcement officers. Despite urgent calls to save lives, the Liberals have done nothing. I grieve with the Inuit family in Salluit, Nunavik after their son Joshua was killed. We need justice for twins Joshua and Garnet Papigatuk. We need more de-escalation tactics and indigenous-led crisis response teams. When will t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government contracts with healthcare agencies to serve rural and remote Indigenous communities at Indigenous Services Canada, broken down by fiscal year, since 2017-18: (a) what is the total number of contracts signed; (b) what are the details of all contracts signed, including the (i) agency contracted, (ii) value of the contract, (iii) number of healthcare practitioners provided, …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Uqaqtittiji, I know that my constituents are starting to go trick-or-treating. I hope that all Canadians this evening, while trick-or-treating, are safe and that parents check their candies before they give them to their children. During this filibuster, we have been treated with a lot of tricks. I think we have a lot of tricking going on in the filibuster, including giving figures like what the N…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Uqaqtittiji, I thank the member for showing us what a Conservative government would act like. It would not be able to multi-task or strategize in addressing policy issues, as the Conservatives are forcing the House of Commons into a stalemate for one disclosure. It is an important disclosure, yet many different proposals have been provided to a number of Conservatives on how to get past the stalem…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Uqaqtittiji, the Conservatives, throughout the course of this debate and this filibustering, are showing the extent to which they are willing to play games in this House, but they are not the only ones. The Liberals and Conservatives both are using procedures that are resulting in this stalemate. If the member truly care about his constituents, is he willing to advise his leadership that what is b…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, last week, first nations leaders respected the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society by voting to guarantee all first nations children would be protected from Canada's discrimination in child and family services. The Liberals had offered a weak funding plan with an expiry date. Discrimination must stop now and forever. Will the Prime Minister finally respect the Human Rights T…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Uqaqtittiji, both the Liberals and the Conservatives are filibustering by having this endless debate rather than focusing on issues, such as maybe approving the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project in Nunavut. That would help fight climate change and get Nunavut communities off diesel. Does the member agree that the Conservatives are just as responsible for the state the House of Commons is in?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, Red Fish Arts Studio diverts youth out of the criminal justice system by teaching them skills. The government promised Red Fish funding last April, but when the Prime Minister shuffled his cabinet, the new minister cancelled not only its funding but the much-needed funding for indigenous languages. Indigenous peoples deserve better than broken promises. Will the minister reverse his d…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, I have learned, through this report, just how complex the regulations are, given that there are municipal, provincial and federal regulations. One of the discussions mentioned in this report is the need for a multi-stakeholder approach. Can the member share with us how important federal leadership will be to ensure that shorelines are better protected?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, I have learned through this report that there used to be a shoreline protection program, but the federal government stopped funding it. Reading the first recommendation, I see that it is recommended to re-establish that program. Can the member share with us the importance of implementing this recommendation?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, the Liberals are actively refusing reconciliation and evading their obligations required in the honour the Crown. The government knew for seven years that “the big dock” in Fort Chipewyan is contaminated with cancer-causing substances, and for seven years it covered it up. Rightfully, families are now worried about their children's health and whether they will lose them to cancer. Whe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, indigenous elders endured genocidal policies resulting in indigenous women and girls being missing and murdered. Thanks to the Liberals, Wiikwemkoong first nations elders are on the verge of exile. Long-term care facilities are important for passing on intergenerational love and knowledge to keep indigenous peoples alive. Liberals are refusing an act of reconciliation. When will this …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, it is another injustice and another day in court for the Liberals. Two Ontario first nations are suing the government for its discriminatory underfunding of fire services in their communities. With climate change and aging infrastructure, first nations are at a higher risk. Instead of wasting more time in court, will the Liberals stop their discrimination against first nations, truly …
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I have been listening to the debate, and I am concerned that the Conservatives are equating a call for a ceasefire as an attack on Jewish people. Can the member explain that asking Netanyahu and the extremist government to be held accountable through things such as sanctions is not an act of anti-Semitism and that we are actually looking for peace?
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I am taking offence to the way the member is accusing me of who I am being when I am not. I hope he could be asked to apologize for labelling me the way that he is.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, indigenous peoples across Canada are still dying at the hands of the police and RCMP. Just this week, a first nations man from Saskatchewan was killed and, instead of acting, the government wants another study on policing. Studies will not save lives. We need action now, such as an indigenous-led crisis response team. The Liberals need to stop delaying. Why does the government refuse …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, I would like to acknowledge that we have another settler MP in the House. What I have heard so far is not a lot of willingness from the Conservatives to talk about experiences of indigenous peoples, including the lack of reference in his intervention regarding indigenous people, indigenous people's rights and the lack of investments that we continue to suffer. We have great indigenous…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, when the Liberals inherited the government from the Conservatives some years ago, the conditions that indigenous peoples were in were quite deplorable, and they have not improved that much since the Liberal government was elected. I will give a basic example of how corporate greed is being supported by this Liberal government. The Liberals keep the nutrition north program going, which…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, Nunavummiut are prevented from thriving because of the lack of doctors and the lack of access to health care. The Conservative leader wants to cut health care, but Conservatives would have nothing to cut as the Liberals have not invested enough in Nunavut. The Prime Minister has failed on his promises to deliver the health care people need. When will the Prime Minister invest in the h…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, indigenous peoples represent 20% of unhoused people in Canada. The CEO of Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services states only 0.2% of all funding to end homelessness is going to indigenous peoples. This means thousands will be living out in the cold this winter because of the Liberals and the Conservatives who voted against any funding for indigenous housing. When will the Liberals end th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, I thank the member for her passion. This is an important piece of legislation that requires such seriousness, especially thinking about the survivors. We have heard that survivors say that the bill was not thought through well enough, especially for survivors. I wonder whether the member could tell us whether the Conservatives would agree at committee to extend the study so we could m…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Uqaqtittiji, the more I learn about this bill, the more I see how important survivors of violence in the military are. I am sure that it is already very traumatizing to have to serve in the military, especially in today's society, globally, with all the violence that we are seeing. In particular, with survivors of abuse within the system itself, it makes me quite concerned that there are still a l…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
[Member spoke in Inuktitut and provided the following text:] ᐅᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨ, ᖁᐊᖅᓵᖅᓯᒫᓪᓚᓚᐅᖅᖢᖓ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓪᓗᖓ ᐃᓅᓯᓐᓂ ᐊᒃᑐᐃᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᐃᒫᑎᒋ ᒪᑭᒪᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᖏᑉᐳᖓ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖓ ᔮᓂ ᓂᖏᐅᙵᒥᓐ ᐅᒃᐱᕐᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᖃᐃᑦᑎᓯᒪᓚᐅᕋᕕᑦ. ᒪᒥᓴᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒐᓱᒃᑐᓄᑦ, ᐃᓕᒃᓯᓐᓄ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖓ, ᐊᑏᑐᖅ ᓴᖏᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᓯ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓯᓐᓄ. Robin, ᕌᐱᒻ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᕙᒋ, Lloyd ᓗᐃᑦ ᓇᒡᓕᒋᕙᒋ. ᓴᖏᓂᖅᓯ ᐅᕗᓐᓂ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᑲᓐᓂᕋᓯ ᖁᔭᓕᕗᖓ Bruce Oake ᒪᒥᓴᕐᕕᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ Scott Oake ᐃᓚᖏᓪᓗ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᕋᓯ. ᐋᖓᔮᕐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒥᒃ, ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖓ ᐱ…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, Nunavummiut still have the highest levels of food insecurity in the country. My home territory has the highest number of children going to school and to bed with empty stomachs. Mothers are not eating enough so their children can be full and grow up healthy. These conditions are by design of the federal government. These conditions do not happen by accident. These conditions are on pu…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, Amautiit Nunavut Inuit Women's Association released a report on child poverty in April 2024, and its report showed that those dollars are not working because children are still in poverty. The close to $100 million that you mentioned in your response is going to corporate greed. Your government's data on the nutrition north program—
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, I apologize. The government's data on the nutrition north program includes prices and the subsidy paid for some products. Since the voices of constituents are not enough, I will cite a researcher. Nicholas Li is one of just two or three researchers who have confidential access to that data. In April, Nicholas told APTN that when he last checked, there was a lag in the data reporting. …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, Johannes Rivoire sexually abused Inuit children in Nunavut for years. Canada refused to charge him for 30 years and he died protected. The daughter of the late Marius Tungilik has asked the RCMP for his file, but it refuses to release it. The government must honour families, especially those who suffered during residential schools. Will the Minister of Public Safety provide the docume…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to requests submitted through Jordan’s Principle and the Inuit Child First Initiative, broken down by fiscal year since the program's inception: (a) what is the total number of requests received from (i) parents or guardians of Indigenous children, (ii) Indigenous children at the age of consent in their province or territory, (iii) an individual authorized to represent an Indigenous ch…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Greenland Halibut in Nunavut, since 2017: (a) what are the details of all assessments of Greenland Halibut stocks, including the (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) conclusions; (b) what are the details of all Greenland Halibut fisheries management decisions, including the (i) date, (ii) scientific assessment used to justify the decision, (iii) decision on total allowable catch and s…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to federal housing investments in the territories, since February 1, 2006, broken down by city and year: how much federal funding was provided to support the construction of (i) non-profit or community housing, (ii) cooperative housing, (iii) purpose-built rental housing, and how many units were developed?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Indigenous Services Canada's (ISC) capital allocation policies on school expansions and renovations: (a) on what basis does the department determine the level of funding to be determined for school expansions and renovations; (b) does the department consider students from neighbouring communities as part of its decision-making processes in allocating funding; (c) which regional ISC …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, I rise today to seek leave for an emergency debate regarding the recent deaths of six first nations people at the hands of police forces in Canada. The lives of indigenous peoples matter. Report after report, recommendation after recommendation, the RCMP is still instilling systemic racism against indigenous peoples in Canada. For decades, indigenous peoples have been injured and, wor…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, it means that first nations, Métis and Inuit will continue to be beaten up more and will be followed more, and it means that indigenous peoples will not trust law enforcement to protect them. That is why the motion is so important, so that we can move towards better protections and to make sure that the impunity stops.
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
moved: That this House do now adjourn. Uqaqtittiji, I will be sharing my time with the member for Timmins—James Bay. I sincerely thank the Speaker for seeing the urgency of this matter and agreeing that it required an emergency debate this evening. I especially thank my colleagues in the NDP for helping make sure that we raise the profile and importance of justice for indigenous peoples. Since eve…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, that is an important question. The response is a complex one, but some of what needs to happen is a true implementation of the MMIWG and TRC reports. They have made great recommendations to make sure that we do see changes in systemic racism. We need to make sure there is indigenous oversight of law enforcement. That is another recommendation that has been made for years. Right now, w…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, that is a great question. What I think is that when there is proper representation in law enforcement, in the health care system, in the education system and even in Parliament, and I really hope that we have more first nations, Métis and Inuit run for Parliament, there can be major improvements. I do agree that Inuit, first nations and Métis law enforcement needs to be better support…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I am going to honour the families of the victims who were just killed. I ask that we make sure that we honour the memories of Jack Piche, Hoss Lightning-Saddleback, Tammy Bateman, Jason West, Daniel Knife and Steven “Iggy” Dedam. What will the member advise her party to say to the families of these victims, whose lives were lost, who are in grief? What will this party say to the famil…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for using words like “tangible” and for talking about things we need to see happening to help address some of the issues. As I mentioned in my speech, I had done an intervention with the UCCM Anishnaabe Police in northern Ontario because the federal government was not meeting its obligations to ensure that this first nations policing agency was getting…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, my colleague's intervention was very thoughtful. I agree with much of what he was sharing with us, and I wonder whether he could respond to something that AFN national chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has suggested, which is that part of the law enforcement problem with RCMP officers is that they are neither being taught de-escalation techniques nor being given enough cultural competency…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for her important intervention. This debate is addressing what I feel is like the tip of an iceberg, and I think she agrees. There are so many examples of other issues with RCMP behaviour. In my riding of Nunavut, I have whole communities that will not call the RCMP because they know that the RCMP will not protect that community from the violence that …
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Uqaqtittiji, I am actually quite confused by the member's intervention because what he spoke about goes against a lot of what the Conservatives' messaging is, including always talking about being tough on crime and all those kinds of things. I wonder if the member can describe for us how he will try to influence his party to commit to ensuring that what he said is something all of his caucus will …
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