Here's how Vaughan-Woodbridge candidates answered questions on the aftermath of residential schools

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 6, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

We’ve asked Vaughan-Woodbridge’s federal election candidates this question:

“The discovery of mass graves at the sites of several residential schools across Canada has brought increased focus to the country's past atrocities against Indigenous people. How would your party move forward with the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and is there anything else you would do to forward the cause of reconciliation with Indigenous people?”

Here are their answers.

LIBERAL CANDIDATE FRANCESCO SORBARA

As Justin Trudeau has said, we all need to play a role in amplifying the voices of Indigenous peoples, dismantling systemic racism, inequalities and discrimination, and walking the path of reconciliation -- together.

With 80 per cent of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action involving the Government of Canada now completed or underway, crucial progress is being made -- but there is much more hard work ahead.

The Liberal government is also committed to addressing and closing social, health and economic disparities for Indigenous peoples. The Budget 2021 included a historic new investment of over $18 billion over the next five years to support healthy, safe and prosperous Indigenous communities. This includes work on the implementation of the National Action Plan in response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice.

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE ANGELA PANACCI

Canada’s Conservatives acknowledge the deep sorrow and mourning that all Indigenous people and survivors of residential schools are experiencing. In 2007, the Conservative government created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as part of the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, which recognizes that the Indian residential school system had a profoundly lasting and damaging impact on Indigenous culture, heritage and language. It is the current Liberal government that is in legal battles against residential school survivors and First Nations children.

Conservatives have called for a swift timeline and funding to deliver on the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action 71 to 76, involving missing children and providing healing for families. A national holiday will not address the profound impact of residential schools, nor will it address the current ongoing issues these communities face. It is terrible the current government is suing.

NDP CANDIDATE PETER DEVITA

In spite of decades of promises, the Liberals have failed Indigenous peoples. New Democrats understand that these relations must improve.

Trudeau’s approach of talking about reconciliation and promising to respect Indigenous rights while spending millions of dollars fighting First Nations children in court is unacceptable.

The NDP plan includes:

• Clean drinking water, immediately;

• Safe housing for Indigenous families;

• Respectful, safe access to health care;

• Real justice and an end to the chronic underfunding of Indigenous children’s services, including books for their libraries.

New Democrats believe the federal government should not pick and choose which Indigenous rights they will uphold, and which ones they will ignore. The framework for reconciliation must be in line with recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These set out minimum standards for (the) survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples.

GREEN CANDIDATE MUHAMMAD HASSAN KHAN

The Green party believes that the calls to action contained in the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Report must be implemented immediately.

• Provide sustainable funding for new and existing Indigenous healing centres to address the harms caused by residential schools;

• Honour the original request from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for funding for work on the Missing Children and Unmarked Burials Project;

• Call on the Pope to apologize on behalf of the Catholic Church for its involvement in this tragedy;

• Recognize that Indigenous children in residential schools have been replaced by Indigenous children in foster care; Indigenous children account for 7.7 per cent of children in Canada, but 52.2 per cent of children in care;

• Stop fighting the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders requiring the government to compensate the child and family victims of Canada’s discrimination, and ensure non-status First Nations children living off-reserve have access to Jordan’s Principle.