Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Airports Capital Assistance Program and other investments meant to improve the safety of passengers and assets of airports in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, since 2015: (a) what are the details of all projects that have received funding, broken down by fiscal year; (b) how many applications related to paving gravel runways were received for funding; and (c) o…
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With regard to the Canadian North and First air merger approved by the Minister of Transport in June 2019: (a) did the government identify any compliance issues with the original terms and conditions of the merger; (b) what are the details or all identified compliance issues identified by the government; (c) what are the details of all meetings undertaken to discuss compliance measures, including …
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With regard to the re-negotiated terms and conditions of the Canadian North and First Air merger announced on April 21, 2023: (a) what is the current average passenger load for each route over the last six months; (b) what were the average annual fares for each route (i) at the time the merger was approved, (ii) as of May 3, 2023; and (c) how will the government protect passengers from rate increa…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am so honoured to rise to present a petition signed by 758 people from Rankin Inlet and surrounding communities in my riding of Nunavut. They are petitioning to raise awareness that there needs to be support and equal access to quality health care and for it to be recognized by the Government of Canada. Petitioners state that the midwifery and maternal child care in Rankin Inlet is …
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Uqaqtittiji, today I stood with the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario, which is trying to negotiate to keep its communities safe. The government is trying to enforce policies that were found to be discriminatory by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. It is fine with letting funding for first nations policing run out. This would never happen in major cities. Why is the government forcing the Indi…
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Uqaqtittiji, I stand in solidarity with the unionized workers, and their families, of the Iqaluit Housing Authority. They have been on strike for close to three months. The labour minister remains silent as the Iqaluit Housing Authority brings in scabs and undermines workers' rights. New Democrats have introduced anti-scab legislation to stop this. Will the minister support the NDP's bill to prote…
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Uqaqtittiji, I very much appreciate that very informative response. It does give me hope that Canadian Rangers will get their reimbursements sooner. Another issue brought up with the process of reimbursing Canadian Rangers is how difficult it is to get repairs completed. The main reason is that most Nunavut communities do not have access to direct mechanics in their communities. Canadian Rangers m…
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Uqaqtittiji, what I like about this bill, and I have spoken to this a few times and have raised questions about it as well, is that it enshrines into legislation the importance of indigenous people's rights, as well as enshrining international instruments, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. I wonder if the member agrees that enshrining these international instruments is very import…
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Uqaqtittiji, back in March, I travelled with committee members of the indigenous and northern affairs committee to my riding in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk and the Northwest Territories in Yellowknife. We met with many of my constituents and with Canadian Rangers in both of my communities. We went to the joint task force north headquarters office in Yellowknife as well. We heard from my constituents,…
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Uqaqtittiji, I think there are absolutely different views about what women can choose to do or what they do not want to do. I think raising children is such a beautiful privilege and a wonderful honour to have. I was not ever really able to be a stay-at-home mom, so I always have tremendous respect for mothers or fathers, any parent, to choose to stay at home to invest in their children's early le…
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Uqaqtittiji, before colonialism, Inuit, first nations and Métis had their own forms of policing. For decades, genocidal policies have been enforced by the RCMP and local law enforcement. First nations in northern Ontario undertook their own community policing. The current federal government is going against reconciliation by refusing to renegotiate new agreements. This leaves 30,000 indigenous peo…
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Uqaqtittiji, I have read the budget implementation act, and I see that there is going to be, in the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, a Canada health transfer. The Province of Manitoba will get a substantial amount if this bill passes. Manitoba was making cuts to health care services earlier this year. Could the member describe to his constituents what is wrong with the Canada health tra…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am very pleased to appear this evening from my home riding in Nunavut. I am pleased to submit that the NDP supports passing Bill C-35. The NDP has, for a long time, fought for a national child care program that is enshrined in legislation. Before I get to the main aspects of my speech, I highlight and thank the MP for Winnipeg Centre for her great work, the MP for London—Fanshawe fo…
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Uqaqtittiji, that is a great question. I think that is why this legislation discusses the importance of non-profit organizations in ensuring that public child care is also a priority. All of the communities in Nunavut have schools. Some of them have spaces for Aboriginal Head Start programs. There are many communities as well with buildings that we need to ensure will provide access. I think that …
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Uqaqtittiji, I think that is a different type of program that she might be talking about, but it highlights the importance of Bill C-35 and why we need to nationalize child care. We need to ensure, as I have said, that those who have been excluded from accessing child care get the supports that they need. I heard a Conservative member talking earlier about his family supporting each other in the a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Uqaqtittiji, before colonialism, first nations and Inuit had laws. Through the process of genocidal and colonial aggression, indigenous laws were almost lost. I am proud to stand here and confirm that indigenous laws still exist. For Inuit, laws are categorized into three areas: tirigusuusiit, piqujait and maligait. These laws govern behaviours, relationships and respect for the wildlife and envir…
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Uqaqtittiji, while we are talking about emissions reductions and decarbonization, I wanted to take this opportunity to ask about the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project, which was announced in the budget. No amounts were provided as to how much the government would invest to ensure the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project can proceed. Could the member please describe to the House what investments will …
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Uqaqtittiji, as I said earlier, oil and gas companies are showing record profits. As an example, Suncor only pays one-fourteenth of the full carbon price in the scheme. I agree that carbon pricing is not the only solution. There have to be many potential solutions, and we need to do better to help protect the environment. I wonder if the member agrees that protecting the pockets of billion-dollar …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Uqaqtittiji, when offenders are rejoining the communities, if they do it on an early conditional release, they are already required to report regularly to their parole officers. I wonder if the member could explain how this bill would improve a system that already exists.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Uqaqtittiji, I will first acknowledge that I rise on Algonquin Anishinabe territory on the first day of National Indigenous History Month. I hope that during this month, especially, we all make an extra effort to learn more about indigenous history in Canada. Indigenous history needs to be more visible. As an Inuk from Nunavut, I have observed how hidden Canada's treatment toward Métis, Inuit and …
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Uqaqtittiji, today is the first day of National Indigenous History Month. When the sun rises in the east, shines throughout Canada and sets in the west, too many indigenous peoples are missing, murdered or buried at the hands of governments. Indigenous history is largely invisible in the House. There is nothing I see that acknowledges that we sit on unceded Algonquin Anishinabe territory. All gove…
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Uqaqtittiji, cutting the price on pollution is not a solution that will stop pollution. Oil and gas companies are among the corporations that are showing the greatest profits. Why do the Conservatives prefer stacking the deck for billionaire CEOs over helping working people in Canada?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Uqaqtittiji, communities in Nunavut must rely on safe, affordable and accessible air transportation. The government's new deal with Canadian North jeopardizes the overall well-being of Nunavummiut. Raising prices would increase the cost of food and supplies and threaten the health care that people in Nunavut rely on, which is already limited. Will the government commit to keeping air travel afford…
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Uqaqtittiji, I would also like to send my condolences to the family in the member's riding. I really appreciated the member's intervention, because he seems to be taking Bill C-35 seriously and not talking only about the motion about the short title. The bill is especially important for Nunavummiut. I do not know if members have read the Auditor General's report published on May 30 about Inuit chi…
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Uqaqtittiji, there are a couple things that I really appreciate about Bill C-35: the inclusion of the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as requiring informed consent, as accorded in UNDRIP. Those two provisions, in and of themselves, are very important to supporting Bill C-35, and I wonder if the member agrees with my statement.
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Uqaqtittiji, I appreciated the member's animated intervention. I am a bit confused about what is going on with the debate, because we all know how important child care is and how much poverty there is in our communities, yet at this point we are debating a minor procedural matter. I wonder if the member can explain why we are debating this minor procedural matter when we could be debating other mo…
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Uqaqtittiji, I wonder if the member can explain how this bill would support the great work of the Kativik Regional Government in Nunavik. Will it be better supported through the implementation of this important bill?
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Uqaqtittiji, from my understanding, medical practitioners, the Canadian Chiefs of Police and other experts support safe supply. Could the member tell the House who the Conservatives are hearing from who do not support safe supply, which we know is a vitally important life-saving service for Canadians?
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Uqaqtittiji, could I ask the member to talk in more detail about one of the four pillars and the importance of safe consumption sites? I do not know there is enough understanding about the importance of these places. Could she please provide more detail about why they are so important?
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Uqaqtittiji, I know the member genuinely cares. I wonder whether the member agrees that we need to have better services for indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples are overrepresented in the opioid crisis. Does he agree that we need to have better healing and reconciliation programs to help uplift indigenous peoples so that too many of them are not entering this crisis?
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Uqaqtittiji, I appreciate the member's willingness to make sure that more indigenous peoples get the supports they need. A couple of weeks ago, I met with members of the Kluane First Nation, which has been seeking supports and assistance from the federal government for quite a few years now. Could the member describe what supports are being provided in this kind of area for places like the Kluane …
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Uqaqtittiji, there has been information collected that shows that, because of safe supply programs, there has been a significant decrease in hospitalizations for infectious complications among safe supply clients. Hospitalizations dropped from 26 in the year before the program to 13 in that year. I wonder how the member interprets such helpful data, which shows that these safe supply programs do w…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am quite concerned by what I have heard from the member. His language was creating a lot of negative labels and stigmatization. Having been an Inuk all my life, and seeing other indigenous peoples refusing to call themselves indigenous because of the racism that exists, it is hard to listen to people generating more stigma. I hope the member reconsiders how he thinks of people who a…
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Uqaqtittiji, although there was a lot of disinformation and misinformation in it, I thank the member for his intervention. I would have very much appreciated hearing about, with respect to Bill C-21, how hard my NDP colleagues are willing to work to protect the rights of people. I asked a different Conservative member about the outdated information Conservatives are sharing this evening in this de…
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Uqaqtittiji, for a party that touts contemporary messages to its constituents, I am surprised by the outdated messaging that this member has shared during his intervention in talking about the G-4 and G-46 amendments, which have been removed. I would ask the member if he realizes that there are updated amendments regarding indigenous peoples' rights in Bill C-21. How does he plan to educate his co…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am very proud of the work the NDP has done to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples are being protected. I wonder if the member could educate us on what the NDP amendment to add section 35 rights would mean for indigenous peoples.
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Uqaqtittiji, I am very proud of the work that my NDP colleagues have done in ensuring that indigenous peoples' rights are protected, that hunters and lawful gun owners are also protected. Why is it so important to make sure that this bill is passed right away so we can make sure there is a better sense of public safety in urban settings?
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Uqaqtittiji, I have heard some examples shared in our committee like more culturally appropriate facilities, places to smudge, and schools developed to be more culturally appropriate to first nations, Métis and Inuit communities. It is important that we support this bill so that first nations communities can say what is important to them. If a first nations wants a school, then this bill would all…
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Iksivantali, if these funds have already been allocated, why is there still such a huge housing gap in all three territories?
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Iksivantali, while there is more work to be done, when will the government actually make sure that there is action rather than making more promises?
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Uqaqtittiji, I do enjoy working with the hon. member at the indigenous and northern affairs committee. Regarding Bill C-45, as first nations begin to move toward financial independence, it does not mean that governments are alleviated from their obligations to meet the needs of first nations communities. I wonder if the member agrees with me that while we move toward that, governments will always …
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to remind the member that first nations do not belong to the Conservative Party and to refrain from saying “our first nations”, because first nations are self-governing nations that were here before Canada. I ask him to please remind his party to stop saying “our first nations” or “our indigenous peoples” in its terminology. I do want to ask the member about first nations…
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Uqaqtittiji, I am very pleased to rise to speak to Bill C-45, an act to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts. As the indigenous critic for and on behalf of the New Democrats, I say that we are very pleased to show our support for the passing of Bill C-45. I share my gratitude with Harold Calla, executive chair at the First Nations Financi…
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Uqaqtittiji, I think that consultation is absolutely important, but what is more important is the proper implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which declares that there should be free, prior and informed consent before any kind of development is happening. I do hope that this party supports my bill, which would make changes to the Territorial Lands A…
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Uqaqtittiji, this is very much a question about whether there can be true self-determination as indigenous peoples have been suppressed and oppressed for so long, which is why I made sure in my presentation that I talked about the genocidal policies still having an impact on first nations, Métis and Inuit communities. We have to start making sure that if we are going to talk about self-determinati…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Uqaqtittiji, my questions are timely, given the debate earlier today on Bill S-5, the strengthening environmental protection for a healthier Canada act. When I originally asked about the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project back in February, it was before the budget was announced. Since then, budget 2023 has mentioned the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link. This is now the second time this major Nunavut clean…
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Uqaqtittiji, it is quite clear that it is one thing to have this in mind, but it is another thing to see action. I am going to turn to the other side of what is important here, which is Canada's need to meet its international obligations on emissions reductions. The Liberal government has committed to a 40% GHG emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030, a 90% non-emitting electricity grid by 2…
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Iksivantali, in 2021-22, the CMHC provided $29 million to Nunavut under the national housing strategy. This is half of what the investments were in previous years. Why is that?
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Iksivantali, I would like to also say that I will be splitting my time with the member for Kitchener Centre. According to Inuit-Crown partnership, $845 million was provided in housing for distinctions-based funding in previous years. How much of that was for Nunavut?
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Iksivantali, the minister did not answer my question, but I will move on. Forty per cent of Inuit live in overcrowded housing. When will the government uphold the housing rights of Inuit in Nunavut?
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