Martha Hall Findlay responds to APC Leadership Questionnaire April 2, 2013 Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share on LinkedIn Email The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission of the Liberal Party of Canada was pleased to receive a response to our Leadership Questionnaire from Liberal Leadership candidate, and former Member of Parliament, Martha Hall Findlay. View her responses below: Q1: Have you had any personal involvement with Aboriginal issues, either through Aboriginal communities in your riding or otherwise? Not in my riding of Willowdale, in Toronto. Although not at a personal level, I have argued in favour of greater consultation with First Nations on proposed pipelines and other energy projects – see my op ed in the Globe and Mail November 30, 2012, “We need a national strategy for energy infrastructure”. And see my Op Ed in the Globe and Mail on the Idle No More protests, January 1, 2013, “Native communities need more than protests”. On a very personal, non-political level, my late former mother in law was Edith Lavallée from Cupar, Saskatchewan. Although she never pursued it, we strongly suspect that she was Métis, and I have encouraged my ex-husband and our three children to explore this part of their roots.” Q2: Do you support the idea of the Government of Canada negotiating with First Nations on a nation-to-nation basis toward replacement of the Indian Act? Yes. I’ve called for replacement, but with need for significant time for full transition, particularly for more dependent communities.” Q3: Do you support the establishment of a royal commission to investigate the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women? Yes. I cannot understand why the Harper government refuses to do so.” Q4: Statistics show that the number of people speaking Aboriginal languages as a first language is falling but the number of people speaking Aboriginal languages as a second language is increasing. Do you support federal funding of Aboriginal language programs and offering federal services in Aboriginal languages where numbers warrant? Yes. I note that the Kelowna Accord would have given substantial funding for the training of more Aboriginal teachers, which would have helped in this regard.” Q5: Would you support lifting the cap on education funding increases so that Aboriginal students have access to the same quality of education as other students? Yes.” Q6: Would you support efforts to address the funding disparity between First Nations children in welfare care and those non-Aboriginal children in provincial care? Yes. We know that there are significant funding gaps at First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) that must be addressed. I would also push for three new approaches at FNCFS: (1) a focus on prevention; (2) greater coordination with Indian & Northern Affairs Social programs such as the Family Violence Prevention Program and National Child Benefit Reinvestment Program; and (3) greater coordination with other federal programs for First Nations residents on reserves such as improving Early Childhood development programs on reserves and intensifying efforts to address Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder in First Nations communities.” Q7: Would you support re-introduction of the Kelowna Accord? Yes, or something like it – as I said in the Globe & Mail on January 1, 2013; “Kelowna would not have solved all of the issues, but it would have been a great start.” The funding in it was critical – $1.8 billion for targeted investments in education and school systems (including training of more aboriginal teachers, to raise the high school graduation rate and to encourage more post-secondary graduation), $1.6 billion for housing and clean water, $1.3 billion for health services (including targeting the unacceptably high rates of infant mortality, youth suicide and childhood obesity/diabetes in aboriginal populations), $200 million for economic development and $170 million for accountability. Just as importantly, it is critical that we bring back the spirit of multi-partisan cooperation and partnership that was so key to getting the Kelowna Accord negotiated and concluded. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/native-communities-need-more-thanprotests/article6828405/?service=mobile Q8: Do you believe it would be appropriate for the Liberal Party of Canada to formally apologize to Aboriginal peoples for introduction in 1969 of a White Paper whose intent was assimilation of Aboriginal peoples? I’m not exactly sure what is meant by a “formal” apology, and the whole concept of “formal” apologies has historical and contextual challenges. The most important thing is to move forward. As noted, I’ve advocated for repeal of the Indian Act, but with needed transition provisions, including with respect to the ownership and use of land.” Q9: Would you support efforts to increase understanding within Aboriginal communities of the issues of Two-Spirited peoples? Of course.” Q10: Do you agree that the Government of Canada has a duty to consult with Aboriginal peoples regarding natural resource development on Aboriginal territory and that such development should only proceed with the substantial consent of the affected Aboriginal peoples? Yes to duty to consult. Hesitant with respect to “substantial consent”. The legal and development contexts are complex, as anyone who has had any dealings with regard to economic development can confirm, and there is no one-size-fits all to consultation, economic development partnerships or other arrangements. The private sector’s role must also be included in all of these discussions.” Q11: Do you agree that the Government of Canada is legally bound to comply with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples? Yes. I spoke to this in the House of Commons May 7, 2008.” Q12: Would you support efforts to establish a consultative process between the Government of Canada and Aboriginal communities to deal with the crisis of lack of clean drinking water in Aboriginal communities across the country? Yes.” Q13: Recognizing that some of the largest Aboriginal communities now are in urban centres, would you support efforts to promote Aboriginal culture within the larger community and increase opportunities for urban Aboriginal people to stay connected with their Aboriginal heritage? Yes.” Q14: How would you work to ensure greater participation among Aboriginal people in the Canadian political process? I am asked all the time about how to get more women involved in the political process, and much of the same commentary applies. I would recommend having a look at the Equal Voice website – although it is not geared to Aboriginal issues or challenges and focuses on getting women elected more than the larger opportunities for political involvement, it does give some good ideas on how to encourage people who are from a group disproportionately less represented to get involved. Much “encouragement” has to do with dispelling the ignorance of how the system works, how accessible involvement can be, teaching people who are interested about what can and can’t be achieved through partisan politics, and offering encouragement and guidance to those who may be interested but don’t know how to go about it. This questionnaire to all the Liberal leadership candidates is a good example of how to be more involved.” Q15: How do you envision the path forward between the Crown and Indigenous Nations with respect to Aboriginal title and inherent Treaty rights? First, we have to get back to the spirit of multi-partisan cooperation and partnership that were key to the negotiation and conclusion of the Kelowna Accord. Without that sense of mutual respect and desire to move forward, no solutions will be found. And frankly, I don’t see such a path forward under the Harper government, given the attitude shown to date. Please have a look at: http://2013.marthahallfindlay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2013-MHF-Comment-–-Aboriginal-Canada-Relations-Long-Version-FINAL.pdf“ Q16: Canada is home to the suicide capital of the world: the community of Pikangikum. In Canada, suicide rates among Inuit youth are 11 times the national average. For First Nations youth, they are five to seven times higher than non-First Nations. Would you support an Aboriginal suicide prevention strategy? Yes.” Q17: The Government of Canada provides a Non-Insured Health Benefits program for certain Aboriginal groups. Considering the dramatically lower general health outcomes for Aboriginal Canadians, would you support an expansion of the program? Clearly we need more to be done to ensure better health outcomes, but I honestly would need to more about the program, what it provides, how and to whom, as well as if, and if so, how, the provisions of the Kelowna Accord dealt with this issue. Unfortunately given our time constraints, I can only commit to looking into this issue further.” Q18: Recent statistics have shown that a young indigenous person in Canada is more likely to go to prison than to graduate from high school. With the recent introduction of Bill C-10 the statistics will only get worse for Aboriginal incarceration. Would you support repeal of C-10 and the appointment of a “Deputy Commissioner for Aboriginal Corrections” to the Correctional Service Canada Executive Committee? Yes. I’ve been very vocal in my opposition to Bill C-10 (See http://2013.marthahallfindlay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/2013-Comment-Crime-Tough-on-the-Causes-of-Crime.pdf) As for the appointment of a “Deputy Commissioner for Aboriginal Corrections”, that may be a good idea. Clearly the statistics of the number of Aboriginals incarcerated in Canadian prisons compared to the population at large are shocking. Something needs to be done – such an appointment clearly would not be the only answer, but could be an important part of finding solutions.” Q19: Aboriginal people in Canada – especially those living in the North – face serious problems of food insecurity due to climate change and the of the high cost of food. Would you support development of a culturally sensitive food security program for Aboriginal people of Canada? I’m not sure that this is something the federal government should be doing, as distinct from being implemented by the Aboriginal communities affected. I will point out that I have advocated dismantling our archaic system of supply management for the nutrition basics of dairy, poultry and eggs, for which Canadian families, and in particular distant Aboriginal communities, pay far too much. Would the APC consider supporting that position?” Q20: The Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada has expressed concern that the funding provided will not be sufficient for the completion of its mandate. Would you support an increase in funding for and an expansion of the TRC mandate to include day schools? I certainly support the funding necessary for the TRCC to complete its mandate. I would also expect a significantly higher level of commitment to actually get things done than we see from the Harper government.” Q21: Are you committed to having at least 10 Aboriginal candidates in the next federal election? I have not supported candidate quotas for women or for visible minorities, nor do I, therefore, support one for Aboriginals. I refer, however, to my answer above on how to encourage more participation in the process.” Note 1: Additional posts from the leadership candidates will be posted upon receipt; Note 2: This post does not constitute an endorsement of the candidate by the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission.