Wachiya, Mr. Speaker.

[Member spoke in Cree]

[English]

It is my pleasure to congratulate you on winning this seat and representing us as the Speaker in the House.

It is a privilege to speak for the first time in the House as the member for Abitibi—Baie‑James—Nunavik—Eeyou. I would like to sincerely thank the residents of my riding for allowing me to represent them in the House.

It is also an honour to rise as the first Minister of Indigenous Services who is herself indigenous, a bold and historic move by our Prime Minister in the formation of his cabinet. I want to also acknowledge my colleagues from the indigenous caucus for coming to support this important debate tonight.

I rise in this House with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility. Across Canada, wildfires are presently burning. They are threatening lives, homes and entire communities. These fires are not isolated events; they are part of a growing pattern, yes, driven by climate change. They are affecting more and more people more frequently and more severely than ever before.

I want to acknowledge the profound impacts the wildfires have had on individuals, families and communities. To those who have lost their homes, who have been forced to evacuate, and who are living with uncertainty and fear, I extend my deepest sympathies.

[Member spoke in Cree]

[English]

I am thinking of everyone.

I want to also share that my ministry has been in close communication with many chiefs and first nation leaders. We have been supporting these communities through these challenging times, working around the clock to keep people safe and securing them in an ever-changing situation. Sometimes I receive calls from leadership who have been on the front lines fighting fires themselves. I want to acknowledge their leadership and courage.

To support their evacuations, Indigenous Services Canada has first ensured that we provide advance payments to first nations communities. These funds help to ensure that communities have the resources they need when they need them in critical moments. This approach is proactive. It is necessary. When communities are given the right tools and resources to act swiftly, lives are protected and damage is minimized.

The ministry is working alongside first nations partners, as well as provincial and territorial counterparts, to monitor and to ensure that we respond rapidly to ever-evolving fire situations. I am in near-constant communication with my federal colleagues, such as the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience. We have spoken with our provincial counterparts over the last few days. I want to commend the minister for her support, open communication and response to urgency when I called upon her at all hours of the night.

I also want to acknowledge the many leaders who have spoken with me. Chief Waylon Scott is one of the chiefs I have had the opportunity to speak with recently, and he offered a quote to be shared as part of the debate this evening:

[Our] nation has been evacuated for some time now due to wildfires in Northern Ontario. The new Minister of Indigenous Services directed her team reach out to me directly, and they have been available and supportive throughout this emergency. I, Chief Scott, Ontario Regional Chief Benedict, and other Ontario Chiefs affected by the wildfires also met with the Minister virtually.

Their situation, their needs and the best way to support their response were reflected in how our team, on numerous occasions, day and night, responded to the community and community members. During this crisis, the Government of Canada has been a strong partner for first nations across Ontario, and we are proactive in reaching out to all provinces. This partnership reflects our shared responsibility. No single government or organization can face this challenge alone. It is through unity and mutual respect that we find the most effective solutions.

The emergency management assistance program, under Indigenous Services Canada, reimburses eligible costs related to wildfire response and recovery. This includes evacuation support and culturally sensitive services, offered with wraparounds on site, taking into consideration mental health, traditional food, language interpretation and child care. I want to share that we have been delivering these in a collaborative way to ensure that we are reflecting and respecting the needs of first nations.

To ensure timely support, we have also provided advance payments to on-reserve and eligible first nation communities. This funding helps communities respond to the immediate need without waiting for reimbursement in a time of crisis. These upfront supports are a reflection of our commitment to uphold the dignity and well-being of every community member during a time of crisis.

I spoke earlier today to Chief Bobby Cameron, and I want to echo his statement: Federal and provincial governments need to work together to respond to first nation emergencies jointly and collaboratively. We have shown that we are open to that dialogue and that partnership.

We are also working to ensure that we are looking at long-term wildfire preparedness. Our FireSmart program supports preparedness through firefighter training, fuel management and vegetation clearing projects. The non-structural mitigation and preparedness program also helps to develop and test emergency management plans and to build capacity to respond to future emergencies.

Preparedness is key. These supports are about building strength before disaster strikes so that communities can mitigate the impact to the greatest extent possible. It is to ensure not only that they have the ability to respond but also that they have the capacity to recover and thrive. We have started to support indigenous nations in other provinces, such as Alberta and Saskatchewan, calling them and ensuring that our dialogue is in place to respond to their emerging needs.

Indigenous Services Canada has taken steps to strengthen its approach. This includes implementing a new risk-based funding model, improving emergency management plans and enhancing program indicators. A key part of this work is multilateral emergency management service agreements, which are agreements that recognize first nations as full and equal partners alongside federal, provincial and territorial governments. These agreements are not just administrative tools; they ensure that we are showcasing shared responsibility and culturally appropriate emergency services.

The future of first nations emergency management is top of mind for me as I take on this new role. It is an issue that has come up in many conversations that I have had with first nations leaders over the past few days. I would like to share another quote. Grand Chief Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said, “I want to acknowledge the minister for listening to our concerns and establishing direct lines of communication. We are making progress, and we understand there are gaps that need to be addressed. I look forward to working with the minister to address these gaps.”

We are also looking ahead to the 2025 wildfire season to ensure that we are not waiting; we are preparing. This ministry dedicates annual funding to capacity, mitigation and preparedness in first nations communities. This includes support for emergency management coordinator positions, and many have showcased their skill and capacity over the past few days. We are laying the groundwork for a future where communities are not just reacting to emergencies but equipped to prevent them. The post-wildfire season will be met with a debrief with first nations communities to focus on preparedness and the response and reaction. There is always room to improve. We want to ensure that it comes directly from first nations.

This is a new government, with new opportunities, and we will respond in a new way, focused on first nations, indigenous peoples, Inuit and Métis. I want to ensure that health and safety of all first nations community members is the priority of this ministry. We are doing work to support in all capacities. Emergencies occur, and we want to support communities and ensure that they can restore their positions, bring their members home in a culturally safe way, avoid vulnerability and exploitation, and strengthen the resilience they have as first nations people.

In closing, wildfires are devastating. They test the strength of first nations communities and the bonds that hold us together.

I want to acknowledge all entities that have supported this process, including the Canadian Armed Forces, all volunteers and all other organizing resources that have supported first nations in their evacuation and in the time that they are spending away from their homes. I also want to acknowledge those that will work with us to return the evacuees safely to their communities. Meegwetch. Nakurmiik.

Mandy Gull-Masty

Transcript

Emergency Debate

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