Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2023-11-06 19:15:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)",
        "fr": "Mme Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NPD)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"8010774\" data-originallang=\"en\"> <em>Uqaqtittiji,</em> in Grassy Narrows, the effects of mercury poisoning can be traced to 1970, more than 50 years ago. The Liberal government committed in 2017 to build and operate a mercury care home. Six years later, the ground has yet to be broken for this facility.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010775\" data-originallang=\"en\">I asked the <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">Prime Minister</a> in June when the suffering from the effects of mercury poisoning would end. He said that the situation \u201chas gone on for far too long\u201d and that he was \u201cworking...with local leadership and moving forward\u201d on a solution. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010776\" data-originallang=\"en\">This potential project is another in a long line of broken Liberal promises to indigenous peoples. Chief Turtle wrote to the <a data-HoCid=\"278911\" href=\"/politicians/patty-hajdu/\" title=\"Patty Hajdu\">Minister of Indigenous Services</a> on October 13 saying that he continues to wait for Canada to provide the full funds to build the mercury repair home. For six years, Grassy Narrows has worked to get the project started. For six years, it has experienced barriers from the Liberal government.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010777\" data-originallang=\"en\">While elected officials say that the government is committed to this project, approvals are delayed. The first nation has done what it can do to get the project started. Grassy Narrows has done everything asked of it. It has submitted the applications, done its due diligence and followed all the government's bureaucracies. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010778\" data-originallang=\"en\">There can be no more justification. It is the federal government's responsibility to provide Grassy Narrows with the care it needs, not to prevent that care from starting. The delays are not justifiable. Meanwhile, this community continues to suffer.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010779\" data-originallang=\"en\">Research published in July found that the youth suicide rate is three times higher than other first nations. Consumption of fish from mercury-contaminated waters has led to nervous disorders and psychological stress over generations. Mothers indicate that over 40% of girls have attempted suicide. Before the mercury was dumped in 1970, the community did not report a single suicide. The connection could be said to be clear.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010780\" data-originallang=\"en\">The <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">Prime Minister</a> once said that Canada's most important relationship is with indigenous peoples. So far, Canada's relationship with Grassy Narrows has been marked by barriers and neglect. What is Canada's delay in honouring the <a data-HoCid=\"278911\" href=\"/politicians/patty-hajdu/\" title=\"Patty Hajdu\">minister</a>'s promise?</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"8010774\" data-originallang=\"en\"> <em>Uqaqtittiji</em>, \u00e0 Grassy Narrows, les effets de l'empoisonnement au mercure remontent \u00e0 1970, il y a plus de 50 ans. En 2017, le gouvernement lib\u00e9ral s'est engag\u00e9 \u00e0 construire et \u00e0 exploiter un centre de traitement pour empoisonnement au mercure. Six ans plus tard, la premi\u00e8re pierre de cet \u00e9tablissement n'a toujours pas \u00e9t\u00e9 pos\u00e9e.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010775\" data-originallang=\"en\">En juin, j'ai demand\u00e9 au <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">premier ministre</a> quand les souffrances attribuables \u00e0 l'empoisonnement au mercure prendraient fin. Il a r\u00e9pondu que la situation \u00ab [durait] depuis beaucoup trop longtemps \u00bb et qu'il travaillait \u00ab [...] avec les dirigeants locaux \u00bb pour trouver une solution. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010776\" data-originallang=\"en\">Ce projet s'inscrit dans une longue s\u00e9rie de promesses lib\u00e9rales non tenues \u00e0 l'\u00e9gard des peuples autochtones. Le 13 octobre, le chef Turtle a \u00e9crit \u00e0 la <a data-HoCid=\"278911\" href=\"/politicians/patty-hajdu/\" title=\"Patty Hajdu\">ministre des Services aux Autochtones</a> pour lui signaler qu'il attend toujours que le Canada fournisse le financement n\u00e9cessaire \u00e0 la construction du centre de traitement pour empoisonnement au mercure. Cela fait six ans que Grassy Narrows s'emploie \u00e0 faire d\u00e9marrer le projet. Cela fait six ans que le gouvernement lib\u00e9ral lui met des b\u00e2tons dans les roues.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010777\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bien que les \u00e9lus affirment que le gouvernement est d\u00e9termin\u00e9 \u00e0 mener \u00e0 bien le projet, les approbations sont retard\u00e9es. La nation autochtone a fait ce qu'elle pouvait pour que le projet d\u00e9marre. Grassy Narrows a fait tout ce qui lui a \u00e9t\u00e9 demand\u00e9. Elle a soumis les demandes, fait preuve de diligence raisonnable et a suivi toutes les proc\u00e9dures administratives du gouvernement. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010778\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Il n'y a plus de justification possible. Il incombe au gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral de fournir \u00e0 la population de Grassy Narrows les soins dont elle a besoin, et non de l'emp\u00eacher de recevoir ces soins. Les d\u00e9lais ne sont pas justifiables. Pendant ce temps, cette collectivit\u00e9 continue de souffrir. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010779\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Des recherches publi\u00e9es en juillet ont r\u00e9v\u00e9l\u00e9 que le taux de suicide chez les jeunes y est trois fois plus \u00e9lev\u00e9 que dans les autres Premi\u00e8res Nations. La consommation de poisson p\u00each\u00e9 dans des eaux contamin\u00e9es au mercure a entra\u00een\u00e9 des troubles nerveux et un stress psychologique pendant des g\u00e9n\u00e9rations. Des m\u00e8res affirment que plus de 40 % des filles ont tent\u00e9 de se suicider. Avant le d\u00e9versement de mercure en 1970, la collectivit\u00e9 n'avait signal\u00e9 aucun suicide. On pourrait dire que le lien est clair. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"8010780\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Le <a data-HoCid=\"214296\" href=\"/politicians/justin-trudeau/\" title=\"Justin Trudeau\">premier ministre</a> a d\u00e9j\u00e0 dit que la relation la plus importante du Canada est celle qu'il entretient avec les peuples autochtones. Jusqu'\u00e0 maintenant, la relation du Canada avec Grassy Narrows a \u00e9t\u00e9 marqu\u00e9e par des obstacles et de la n\u00e9gligence. Pourquoi le Canada tarde-t-il \u00e0 honorer la promesse du <a data-HoCid=\"278911\" href=\"/politicians/patty-hajdu/\" title=\"Patty Hajdu\">ministre</a>? </p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2023/11/6/lori-idlout-4/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/lori-idlout/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4602/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "12426024",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Adjournment Proceedings",
        "fr": "Motion d\u2019ajournement"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Indigenous Affairs",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2023/11/6/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2023%2F11%2F6%2F"
    }
}