Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The Committee examined the subject matter of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, as it relates to the Indigenous peoples of Canada, and tabled its report on May 1, 2018.

The Committee's Eleventh Report, The Subject Matter of Bill C-45: An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, identifies 5 key issues of concern for Indigenous communities:

• lack of consultation
• public education materials pertaining to the legalization of cannabis
• funding for mental health and addictions services
• recognition of Indigenous jurisdiction
• right to participate in economic opportunities

The report proposed 2 amendments to the Bill and 8 policy recommendations for immediate action requiring a Government Response.

The Government Response, tabled on September 18, 2018, outlines the concrete actions being taken and investments being made to advance the objectives of the recommendations, and committed to a progress report back to both chambers by June, 2019, on the action areas identified in the Report.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

The Committee undertook a study on the presence of lead in Canadian tap water, and tabled its report on December 11, 2017.

Report 21 – Lead in Drinking Water notes that although the distribution of drinking water is of provincial jurisdiction, the Government has a public health role to play in the replacement of lead service lines. The Committee therefore recommended the Government work with provincial and territorial governments and First Nations communities to harmonize lead testing protocols and guidelines provide funding for lead pipe replacement.

The Government Response, tabled on April 16, 2018, acknowledges the replacement of lead service lines as a legitimate public health concern and outlines the actions being taken that address the recommendations, both now and in the immediate future, through current budget allocations.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts

The Committee studied the fourth report of the Auditor General in fall 2017 on Oral Health Programs for First Nations and Inuit, and tabled its report on May 3, 2018.

Report 45 – Report 4, Oral Health Programs for First Nations and Inuit—Health Canada, of the Fall 2017 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada explores the findings of the Office of the Auditor General's Fall 2017 performance audit on "whether Health Canada had reasonable assurance that its oral health programs for eligible Inuit and First Nations people had a positive effect on their oral health." The Committee determined that while Health Canada provided access to oral health services, it did not demonstrate how it helped maintain or improve overall oral health of Inuit and First Nations peoples. The Committee provided 6 recommended actions with implementation deadlines.

The Government Response, tabled in the House of Commons on August 22, 2018, and in the Senate on September 18, 2018, addresses recommendations 4 and 5. The November 30, 2018 Progress Report addresses recommendations 1, 2 and 3. The January 31, 2019 Progress Report addresses recommendation 6.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs

The Committee undertook a study on the response to and long-term impacts of the 2017 summer wildfires in First Nations communities and fire safety on reserve, and tabled its report on June 19, 2018.

Report 15 – From the Ashes: Reimagining Fire Safety and Emergency Management in Indigenous Communities notes gaps in the Government's policies and programs to assist First Nations in the areas of funding, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and the inclusion of Indigenous expertise and culture. The report provides 11 recommendations to ensure First Nations communities have the necessary resources and support.

The Government Response, tabled on October 17, 2018, states that the Government is shifting to trilateral emergency management service agreements, and tailoring its approach to both fire safety and emergency management to address the needs and priorities of Indigenous communities. In 2018, informal feedback from British Columbia showed a better integration of First Nations partners into emergency management systems than during the 2017 fire season.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts

The Committee studied the fifth report of the Auditor General in spring 2018 on socio‑economic gaps on First Nations reserves and tabled its report on November 27, 2018.

Report 54 – Report 5, Socio-Economic Gaps on First Nation Reserves—Indigenous Services Canada, of the 2018 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada explores the findings of the Office of the Auditor General's performance audit in Spring 2018 on whether "Indigenous Services Canada satisfactorily measured and reported on Canada's overall progress in closing the socio-economic gaps between on‑reserve First Nations people and other Canadians. It also focused on whether Indigenous Services Canada made adequate use of data to improve education programs to close the education gap and improve socio-economic well-being." The Committee identified inadequate data collection and incomplete use of available data as key issues, and provided 3 recommendations requiring 8 progress reports:

• Conduct consultations and make decisions on the National Outcome‑Based Framework
• Negotiate regional education agreements and national education targets for kindergarten to Grade 12
• Make adjustments to the Education Information System

The Government Response, tabled on April 1, 2019, describes 5 priority areas on which ISC has been focused since it was mandated in 2017 to improve the quality of services delivered to Indigenous peoples: health, education, children and families, infrastructure, and a new fiscal relationship. The Response includes progress made to improve the collection of data and its interpretation resulting from each of the recommendations.

The April 30, 2019 Progress Report outlines the consultations and decisions regarding the National Outcome-Based Framework addressed in the first recommendation.

The June 14, 2019 Progress Report outlines the negotiation of regional education agreements addressed in the second recommendation.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs

The Committee undertook a study on the main barriers that seniors and the chronically ill face in obtaining continuing care on reserve, as well as palliative care and culturally adapted programs and practices, and tabled its report on December 10, 2018.

Report 17 — The Challenges of Delivering Continuing Care in First Nations Communities calls for a long-term approach to improve the quality of continuing care services on reserve through 10 recommendations for culturally safe and appropriate services based on recognition and support of First Nation medical knowledge and practices.

The Government Response, tabled on April 10, 2019, highlights actions the Government is been taking to address many of the recommendations, and illustrates the new investments through Budget 2017 and Budget 2019 as additional support for seniors and people with disabilities as part of a more holistic, long-term care strategy.