Indigenous

Successive governments have failed to fully acknowledge and address the intergenerational harm and trauma on Indigenous peoples from Canada’s colonial history and its legacy of dislocation, land theft, residential schools, and genocide. Indigenous peoples today continue to face systemic racism in the healthcare, education, and justice systems, as well as discrimination in key areas such as housing and employment. Too many Indigenous communities still do not have reliable access to cleaning drinking water. Violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLBTQIA+ people is so bad that the National Inquiry called it a genocide.

Implementing Indigenous rights need to be at the heart of everything that we do.

Indigenous leaders and advocates have already given us frameworks to work towards meaningful reconciliation. We must implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, all Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and all Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry’s Final Report. We must bridge the housing, education, health, resource and access gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. We must ensure Indigenous communities have the adequate resources to give meaningful free, informed and prior consent to resource development projects and decisions that impact Indigenous peoples. There is no time to waste.

MEDIA RELEASE - Liberals’ fail to protect Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people

WINNIPEG — NDP Critic for the Status of Women, Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) is asking why the Liberal government didn’t allocate new funding in last week’s budget to implement the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Since the inquiry released its findings in 2019, the Liberals have yet to release a national action plan with targets, timelines and funding to address this ongoing genocide, and their inaction is costing Indigenous women their lives.
“Rates of violence against Indigenous women and girls have dramatically increased during the pandemic, and the Liberal government keeps stalling on implementing all Calls for Justice,” said Gazan. “Last week’s budget was yet another opportunity for the Liberals to show that they are truly committed to a plan backed by real funding to implement the Calls for Justice, but again they’re failing to do what’s necessary. They chose to give billions to big oil companies while leaving out much needed investments to make life safer for Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. This is unacceptable.”

HANSARD: Jenny asks if investments will be made for a "for indigenous, by indigenous" urban, rural, and northern housing strategy

MEDIA RELEASE - NDP statement on Papal apology to First Nations, Métis and Inuit delegation

Canada's New Democrats are glad to see Pope Francis issue this apology to the First Nations, Métis and Inuit delegates.
Today's apology comes from years of advocacy from Indigenous people and is a necessary step for the Catholic Church to make on its reconciliation journey.
We are hopeful that the Church will continue on this journey and that Pope Francis’ visit to Canada will continue this work. His apology to all First Nations, Métis and Inuit while visiting with Survivors in Canada will be important.
In addition to issuing a formal apology to survivors, their families, and communities, the Pope should work with survivors and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to ensure all documents related to Indian Residential Schools in possession by the Catholic Church are released. Pope Francis should also use the powers of the Church to ensure that the perpetrators of abuse, including Johannes Rivoire, are held accountable for the crimes they are alleged to have committed.

HANSARD: Jenny asks if the minister will support Bill C-216

IN THE NEWS: Star - Jagmeet Singh’s NDP has tied itself to the Liberals. Is the party ready for what happens next?

“Is it enough? No. Is it what a New Democratic government would do? No. But it is using the power we have to make real change for people, and to do the things that we have run on for decades.”

IN THE NEWS: CTV - The day after the deal: MPs voice their views on the Liberal-NDP agreement

NDP MP Jenny Kwan said that while the deal doesn’t include all of the policies the NDP want progress on, “it is about getting as much as we can for the people who need the supports and services,” and she and others will continue to fight for more.

“That’s what this agreement is about, getting as much as we can,” Kwan said. “Imagine—if 25 New Democrats can get us this far—what a majority New Democrat government can do.”

NEWS: CBC - How the Liberal-NDP agreement will work and what it might mean for Canadians

The "supply-and-confidence" agreement struck between the governing Liberals and the opposition New Democrats could affect the kind of legislation Canadians can expect to see pass through Parliament between now and 2025.

According to the deal, those key policy areas are climate change, health care spending, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, economic growth and efforts to make life more affordable.

STATEMENT: People in northern communities can’t afford more broken Liberal promises on housing: NDP

"For years, people living in northern communities have been dealing with a devastating housing crisis while consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments ignored their basic human rights. Houses in northern communities are often overcrowded, in desperate need of repair and many are filled with mould. Despite the Liberals promising to deliver an Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy since 2017, Canadians are still waiting. Even these promises are not sufficient to meet the current housing needs which are hurting communities."

HANSARD - Government should not be in the business of financing corporate rental landlords

Parliament Video: Question Period - Where’s the promise For Indigenous By Indigenous Housing Strategy?

On November 29 2021, MP Jenny Kwan asked her first Question in the new Parliament on Housing for Indigenous Peoples living in urban, rural and northern communities.