Women, Indigenous Peoples left ‘out in the cold’ by Ottawa, say critics
Idlout charges ‘cuts will keep Indigenous Peoples marginalized’
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, shown in this file photo, joined other NDP caucus members in voting against the federal government’s fall economic statement over its impact on Indigenous services. (File photo)
NDP members are voting against Ottawa’s fall economic statement to protest gaps in funding for Indigenous Services in the midst of an infrastructure crisis.
On Thursday, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout and Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan, two Indigenous caucus members for the NDP and critics for Indigenous Services and Women and Gender Equality respectively, voted to “send a very clear message to the Liberal government,” Gazan said at a press conference.
“We are putting them on notice that it’s not OK anymore to leave women, gender-diverse and Indigenous Peoples out in the cold,” she said.
Gazan points to $150 million in cuts to women’s shelters as an example of leaving vulnerable people without enough support.
Niki Ashton, the other NDP critic for Indigenous Services, said many of the cuts are coming because some programs are concluding. Programs, like funding for women’s shelters, were expanded during the pandemic and are not being renewed now. More than 600 women’s shelters across Canada are set to lose funding, CBC News reports.
For Idlout, Ottawa’s mini-budget is a sign the Liberal government isn’t willing to “do what they can to uplift Indigenous Peoples,” she said.
“These cuts will keep Indigenous Peoples marginalized,” Idlout added.
The Assembly of First Nations has said as much as $350 billion is needed to close the infrastructure gap in First Nations, according to a report published last spring.
“This figure does not even include infrastructure gaps for Métis and Inuit,” Idlout noted.
The infrastructure gap and absence of funding in the mini-budget also raise questions about the federal government’s approach to climate mitigation in Indigenous communities.
The news website Canada’s National Observer has reported the disproportionate impact wildfire has on First Nations. Over 95 First Nations this year alone have been evacuated from their communities at a price tag of at least $148.3 million for the crisis response.
Ottawa has been warned inaction will cost more money and harm Indigenous Peoples.
Last year, the auditor general released a scathing report highlighting the failure of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to prepare robust emergency management plans for First Nations. The audit noted ISC’s regional emergency plans were absent or outdated and no risk assessment had been done on the hardest hit nations, even after an earlier 2013 audit called for one.
The department also spent three and a half times more on responding to emergencies than it did preparing for and preventing them over the previous three years, the audit found.
In question period on Thursday, Conservative MP Jamie Schmale referenced the audit, noting 112 mitigation projects are eligible for funding, but remain unfunded.
“The Liberals are not meeting the moment,” Ashton said in a previous interview.
Funding cuts to Indigenous Services could be as much as $7 billion, with over 1,000 workers at risk of losing their jobs if programs are not funded, CBC News reports.
It’s unclear if the fall economic statement, heralded as a marker of restraint to keep the deficit in check, will mute Ottawa’s promise to improve infrastructure in Indigenous communities by 2030.
Matteo Cimellaro is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Canada’s National Observer
Why am I not surprised that Nunatsiaq would rely on Canada’s National Observer as a resource. Their tagline should be ‘Unbalanced, and Unhinged’
Ncc and Nhc signed a contract to build 150 housing units in the fall of 2023. Ok we are here sealift is done. How many homes are under construction. Any takers on this one.
did you not hear? they are gathering together all the skilled inuit trades people as we speak. electricians, architects, plumbers, pipe fitters. they are short listing. its a short list.
I have not seen or heard of any houses being built this year except the 18 one-bedroom apartments started last year.
On the other hand, I’ve seen about 18 houses demolished this fall. The demolished houses each had several bedrooms. I would call that a step backward.
I’m not sure where you live but there is a lot of building going on in my community, so much there are construction workers living in our staff building this winter just to keep up with it.
So. The Libs funded hundreds of women’s shelters. The funding program is sunsetting. In response, our MP says that is not OK to leave indigenous women out in the cold anymore.
Well, wait a minute…if the Libs were leaving the indigenous women out in the cold all this time, wouldn’t that mean they would not have funded the women’s shelters in the first place?
This is the problem with MPs that lead media coverage with ideological rhetoric aimed at guilting. It ignores reality and context.
During the life of the Liberal government, Canada’s government debt went from $819 Billion US to $1,376 Billion US today. Or in other words, a debt to GDP ratio of 52% went to 66%. We are now facing the interest payments on an additional $400 Billion in debt, or, around $35 Billion dollars total a year.
The Libs haven’t left indigenous women out in the cold, relatively speaking. They increased funding to indigenous peoples in Canada, sometimes dramatically, from the Conservatives. If the NDP wants to slam the Libs, they fail to realize the alternative party in power would be worse for their socialist agenda.
It may be that the Libs are quite willing to uplift indigenous people, its is just that they (we) cannot afford to. The Libs may not be meeting this moment. They did meet the moment a few years back when they were shooting out money using a firehose.
If the current fiscal situation leads to years of stagnant government spending and austerity, somebody has to realize that this in itself does indigenous women no favours.
I’m glad someone is finally paying attention to the plight of LGBTQQIP2SAx² + Σ ⨂
Time to get rid of this liberal government and despite the odd attempt at feeling ignored, our MP who joined and supported the NDP coalition with them.
Nothing has been done to help Nunavut and our drop in any economic benefit.
Housing, food, heating fuel costs, freight costs all increased in the past 8 years.
Addictions are rampant in this beautiful territory and no help with mental health support and treatment centres.
Liberals and ndp coalition has been nothing but all talk and no action
We cannot afford either.
Time for a real change for Nunavut and Canada.
So vote Rhino!
Are you suggesting the third alternative, the Conservative Party of Canada, is going to care more about Nunavut, care more about mental health and treatment centres, than either the NDP or Liberals?
The CPC goes on about how the current government is overspending and misspending funds. Nunavut, mental health, and treatment centres, will be the last thing on their mind.
Conservatives are polling in the 40% range, easy majority territory. The Liberals and NDP are both stuck somewhere in the 20% range. Regardless of what you think, be prepared for a Conservative government. It would be wise for us to select a good candidate in this riding, unless you enjoy the sound of one hand clapping itself on the back, which is about all we have had since Leona, like her or not, departed.
The Cons are definitely looking like the party to beat in the next election. Hopefully they choose wisely when selecting Nunavut’s candidate this time around. In the last election the Conservative candidate was at best a part time Nunavut resident and a jaded public servant looking for an exit strategy. She departed the Territory for good shortly after losing the election. I am not a fan of the NDP or the current MP, but Nunavut dodged a bullet by not voting Conservative. We could have been represented federally by an MP and Senator, neither residing in Nunavut.
Start saving for private health insurance.
Thankfully I make enough to money to weather a Con mandate. Not enough to really benefit from it, but enough to see the other end of it.
Are you suggesting the conservatives will privatize healthcare? Fear mongering nonsense.
I expect them to try. But I would be very happy if proven wrong.
I’m not willing to pretend that any of our political parties are out to benefit any of us. I expect the Liberals to make our lives worse though incompetence and the Conservatives to make our lives worse through malice. The NDP, Greens, Bloc and PPC are just fillers to give the appearance of a healthy democracy.
Good luck.
Standard tropes about the Conservative boogeyman: privatized health care, abortion banned, the end of welfare…
These are not real.
Fingers crossed!
History has lots of examples of “boogeymen” that “weren’t real” right up until they were. We’ll find out one way or the other though. We’re all set to lose no matter which way the next election goes.
Conservatives are supportive of private clinics, and why not? That is NOT the same as wanting to revoke the Canada Health Act and public health care. But in the minds of mid-wits, simpletons, and NDP supporters that is exactly the spectre we face. What a charade.
I’m also supportive of private clinics. I don’t trust Canadian Conservatives to stop at a European model of healthcare though.
This is a problem with our local media too, they love to amplify this stuff, they even search out articles, apparently, from barely credible activist news sites like ‘The National Observer’ . Nuance means nothing to them, and if your read this paper you that is true.
I am a con supporter,and yes the cons will win the next election in Canada , and nobody wants to run for the cons and the party up here is dead.4 more years of lori
Senator Patterson is done Jan 2024, and the next Senator is going to be from Iqaluit or Arviat, may she do well
Indigenous have teamed up with the UN in UNDRIP. UN are now their bankers. When the Indigenous default the UN will take all their land a second time. First tho they will try get ALL they can from Canada’s wallet.