This week in her first visit to British Columbia as Minister of Indigenous Services, the Honourable Patty Hajdu was able to meet with a number of First Nations leaders and communities impacted by the events of 2021 to discuss shared priorities, challenges faced by recent events and emergencies, and the ongoing supports required in the months ahead.
Minister Hajdu and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) would like to recognize the resilience and strength of First Nations leadership and emergency services teams in the region for their work over the past months. She also offered her ongoing support for communities and survivors of residential schools as the identifying of unmarked graves furthers the intergenerational trauma of these institutions.
On February 23, Minister Hajdu travelled to Kamloops and met with Chief Willie Sellars of Williams Lake First Nation and conveyed the Government of Canada's condolences on the identification of potential burial sites at the former St. Joseph's Mission Residential School.
Minister Hajdu delivered a virtual address to Chiefs attending the Union of BC Indian Chiefs' Meeting. In her remarks, she recognized the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, climate change and the opioid crisis on First Nations and confirmed Canada's commitment to continue to work with them in addressing these emergencies.
She met with the First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS) and First Nations Leadership Council to discussed shared concerns and priorities, and confirmed an additional $5.7 million in supports from ISC's Emergency Management Assistance Program for the 2022-23 fiscal year. This funding is in addition to the $6.2 million provided to the Society since last summer to help support First Nations in their response and recovery efforts.
Minister Hajdu was also welcomed by Kúkpi7 Roseanne Casimir and the council of Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc to their community. They discussed a number of priorities, including housing, economic development, mental health supports, food sovereignty and the importance of protecting the sacred sites of unmarked graves of children who never returned home.
On February 24, Minister Hajdu met with Chief Marcel Shackelly of the Nooaitch Indian Band to discuss the impact of flooding on his community, as well as recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Later that day, she met with Chief Christine Minnabarriet of Cook's Ferry Indian Band, Chief Arnold Lampreau of Shackan Indian Band and Chief Lee Spahan of Coldwater Indian Band. She was given an aerial tour of their communities, which were significantly impacted by the devastating floods last November. She was able to see first hand the widespread damage done to infrastructure and the environment.
First Nations in British Columbia have endured unprecedented compounding emergencies in the past year: flooding and forest fires, the opioid crisis, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, communities continue to endure the traumatic effects of residential schools as they identify the location of unmarked graves.
ISC and the Government of Canada will continue to work in partnership with First Nations leadership and emergency services as they support their communities and residents through these challenging events, and in their priorities for the months ahead.
