I view this as a moral imperative. These oil resources are Northerners’ resources, and clearly considerable revenues are already contributing to national issues. We are also facing serious issues here in the North. I encourage this government to vigorously pursue the appropriate return and reinvestment of windfall profits currently

received by the federal government from our oil reserves.

Thank you, Mr.

Bromley. The

honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I had an opportunity to watch the Prime Minister of Canada make an official apology to residential school survivors in Canada and, more importantly, to the children who are no longer here.

It was very hard to hear the Prime Minister of Canada talk about an issue I feel has affected me greatly due to the loss of so many friends to suicide and death because of the residential school experience. Those individuals are not here today to see the apology and also to have an opportunity to deal with the many challenges they had to face and the lives they have lost because of the institutional screw-up that the Government of Canada made.

It’s very hard to stand here and talk about an issue that I feel. Nothing can bring back those children, my friends. There’s no amount of money in the world that can bring back your culture, your language or your lifestyle, which was so unique prior to the Europeans coming to Canada. These people had their own systems of caring for their children, caring for their elders, caring for their communities, being gathered so that everybody was able to sustain themselves. It was hard to see the elders on the television crying, because I also shed a tear.

We have to do better for the aboriginal people of Canada, the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories, and the ones who are still hurting. These people had their own governance systems. These people were self-reliant. These people were able to care for their children, their elders and their communities. Yet look at what it has done to the generations of people from this concept being implemented in the mid-1800s to where we are today. It has affected us greatly in our ability to function in society, our ability to govern ourselves and our ability to retain our languages.

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

As we know, the first indigenous people have been involved. In some places the archeologists were able to trace their ancestry back for 10,000 years in northern Canada. Where are we today?

I can quote the Prime Minister of Canada when he basically states that never again will we have such a policy in place by way of the residential school policy. We do have a policy. It’s called apprehension. We have over 630 children in foster homes and care facilities in the Northwest Territories. In southern institutions there are some 8,300 children who are under foster care on reserves in southern Canada. What are we doing different?

I will be asking the Minister of Health questions with regard to what we are doing with 630 children in care, of whom 570 are aboriginal.

Thank you, Mr.

Krutko. The

honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to speak on the Indian residential school apology.

Today our aboriginal people have a reason to be hopeful. First Nations people have waited a long time for this sincere and full apology by the Government of Canada for their role in developing and running the residential school system.

Residential schools caused incredible suffering for thousands of aboriginal people when their children were systemically removed from their family, community and culture. Our aboriginal children suffered physical and emotional abuse leading to loss of language, culture and parenting skills. The impact of those experiences has and will have serious effects on the health and well-being of generations of aboriginal people.

Today Prime Minister Harper made that statement on behalf of the federal government and all Canadians in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, this apology is another step toward a brighter future for our First Nations. Canada is moving forward in acknowledging and regretting the harm it inflicted on my people. Compensation payments and the launch of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are connected steps supporting the recovery from the trauma suffered.

Today thousands of First Nations people gathered in Ottawa to witness this historic event in person. In my riding and in many other parts of the NWT people were glued to the TV and radio to hear that apology. It is an apology to each one of us as members of First Nations. An apology cannot undo what happened. The government apology is about what they’ve done to our people. To us, it’s about tragedy of loss. I send my wishes of courage,

strength and wisdom to our people to find forgiveness so we can move forward.

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

We need to ensure that the stories and experiences of our residential school survivors and the Canadian policies that inflicted them remain in the conscious memory of all Canadians. Instead of blank pages, they must become part of our history books. They must be talked about in our schools and history classes. When we learn from history instead of forgetting about it, we can start building a better future for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you, Mr.

Menicoche. The

honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr.

Ramsay. The

honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

I would like to speak to the Prime Minister’s apology to the students of aboriginal residential schools, which we heard broadcast earlier today.

I believe this apology was a good thing and long overdue. Although it cannot erase the wrongs of the past, it is still a powerful statement on behalf of the Canadian government and also on behalf of Canadian people. The Prime Minister’s is the most powerful voice in the land, and I think it must be seen to represent the voice of Canadian people.

We know the lasting impacts of the events that occur during a child’s formative years. We can only imagine the feelings of anxiety and trauma when a child is separated from the love, discipline and authority of their parents’ care. It was an interruption and an assault on one of nature’s most sacred relationships: that between parents and their children.

There are serious, lasting consequences of the loss of that bond. Apologizing could be the beginning of forgiveness, which is also a powerful choice. If the aboriginal people affected by this travesty of public policy and the ensuing offences can receive this apology and, as my colleague said, could find the strength to forgive even though forgiveness may not be deserved, I believe there can be healing.

We as Northerners must look for meaningful ways to express our support and understanding of each other. We in this House have a unique opportunity as elected Northern leaders to demonstrate ways to promote healing and peace, and we should look for every opportunity to do that.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I, too, would like to speak to the issue of Prime Minister Harper’s statement regarding the apology for residential schooling that happened to First Nations and Inuit people in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I had one of the unique experiences of growing up in Fort Simpson, and I

always

treasure that. I’ve met a lot of people over the years who have gone to residential school. I had to attend Akaitcho Hall because there wasn’t a school there, and I built a lot of bonds with many good friends who have gone through the system. For that, I’ll always treasure the experiences, knowledge and the relationships we’ve always had.

I felt that the place I went to was a caring organization, and it was okay for me. But I’ll tell you: my experience was that it wasn’t for everyone. The administration, the organization and the intent took care of many of us, but the stress of being taken away from families was too much to bear for many people. I remember many people going home — not a lot, but many people — because of the heartstrings it pulled upon and the problems it created there.

I want to commend other Members, such as David Krutko, for speaking about his experience and his relationships and the challenges they faced. As well, I want to recognize Mr. Menicoche for his experiences, which he’s spoken about today.

Mr. Speaker, I had a statement I couldn’t read today, because I think what happened today was a groundbreaking moment. As highlighted by Mr. Menicoche, this is not just going to be a page in history. This will be a new chapter on how we identify ourselves.

Mr. Speaker, even though maybe someone had thought this was right, fortunately someone is looking back and saying, This was completely wrong. I think that so much of the identity of people was erased over such a horrible period of time that it will take not just years but decades and decades for us to move forward.

My heart goes out to those who still struggle with challenges. I know people for whom this experience has not just changed their lives; it has permanently carved a new path for them. It’s not a path they willed upon themselves; it’s an experience that was forced upon them.

Mr. Speaker, I’m going to close by saying that I’m grateful for my experience. I’m not saying that every day was good, but I’m saying that this recognition was of the fact that many people struggled, and

they need that recognition and that apology, which came today.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much,

Mr. Speaker. I see the mayor of Fort Simpson, Mr. Duncan Canvin, in the gallery. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item

7, oral questions. The

honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s in regard to the number of children we have in care in the Northwest Territories. We have some 630 children in care at a cost of $15 million to this government. Out of those 630 children, some 570 are aboriginal children.

Knowing that in southern Canada — I mentioned the off-reserve number, which is 8,300 — there’s been a 65 per cent increase, I’d like to ask the Minister: in regard to this program being administered through the implementation of the Child and Family Services Act, what is the increase in numbers of children in care since the act came into place?

Thank you, Mr.

Krutko. The

honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have that specific number the Member is asking for. I’d be happy to undertake to get that.

I think it’s really important to note — and the Member is right — that we have about 630 children in care of some kind in the Territories. The vast majority of them are aboriginal children, but most of them are in their homes with their extended families in their communities. The number of children who are in southern facilities has decreased dramatically. I think it’s a gain we should be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t think we should be proud of having any kid put into care.

There are 331 aboriginal children in foster care. That’s over half of the 570 children I mentioned. I’d like to ask the Minister: what are we doing to reunite these children with their parents and to reunite the families?

Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t suggesting we should be proud of the fact that we have children in care. I agree with the Member that we want to minimize that number as much as possible.

The fact is that we have made some progress. In 1999, out of all the children in care, most of them were not with their families in the communities.

We have very few children — only about 38 out of 630 children — outside of the NWT, in southern care. They are there because they need services and programs we’re not able to offer in the Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, this is a travesty similar to the residential school situation, where they had great intentions of helping the aboriginal children and trying to make them something they weren’t.

I’d like to ask the Minister. Under the policy it clearly states that every effort has to be made to reunite those children with their families. The policy is clear. Are you following the policy to ensure the 570 children are reunited with their parents?

Mr. Speaker, yes. Every effort is made within the policy and within the children’s care service to do everything we can to keep our children in their homes.

A lot of parents are willing to get into a voluntary service agreement with Social Services where they’re given some guidelines and boundaries as to what they need to provide to the children in order to keep their children. A lot of parents are doing that.

I have to correct the facts. Out of 630 children in care, we have 18 in southern jurisdictions. The vast majority of our children in care are in the North and with their parents and extended families as much as possible.

I do agree with the Member that it’s an area we need to continue to work on and continue to work on to keep the families together wherever possible.

Thank you, Ms.

Lee. Final

supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. As

I mentioned, we’re spending some $15 million in regard to people in care. She mentioned 18 people

in southern Canada. We’re spending over $4 million in that area, yet the Minister clearly stated that they are ensuring these children are reunited with their families. I hear we have children in Nova Scotia from aboriginal communities in the North.

I’d like to ask the Minister if she can give me a breakdown in detail of exactly how many of these dollars are really expended in the North and exactly what we are doing. Give me the numbers. How many children have been reunited with their parents? You say: yes, they are. Well, let’s see the numbers.

Mr. Speaker, I think the numbers he’s referring to have to do with children who are in southern facilities for all kinds of reasons, not just for foster care.

I’d be happy to offer the Member and provide to the Member a breakdown on all children we have in southern institutions. They could be there for health care issues or treatment or foster care purposes.

As well, I’d be happy to provide the Member with detailed information on what measures are taken within the policy of the department to enhance the chance to keep the children in the families.