Hon. Michèle Audette: [Editor’s Note: Senator Audette spoke in Innu-aimun.]

Minister, since 2019, First Nations have been working with your department to reach regional education agreements.

In Quebec, one agreement affecting 22 communities has already been signed with Indigenous Services Canada, while requests from the Tshakapesh Institute and Innu Takuaikan Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, or ITUM, remain unanswered, because your department’s teams haven’t received a mandate. That’s creating a direct inequity between children in the same region.

Minister, why do Innu children in Quebec not have the same opportunities to achieve success as other First Nations and non-Indigenous children in the rest of Quebec? Why has the department decided to perpetuate inequities and stall agreements that are ready to be signed and implemented?

Hon. Mandy Gull-Masty, P.C., M.P., Minister of Indigenous Services: Thank you for the question.

First, I want to set the record straight about the agreements that have been signed. To begin with, one of the groups is already in the third year of its agreement, which is nearing expiry. Two other groups are at the start of the engagement process and have begun discussing their agreement.

These groups are very strong and I appreciate their work. However, they are at different stages in the process of getting a response. I think education is an area in serious need of investment. Education is the engine that drives a nation forward, and it’s one of my priorities. In fact, I’m very pleased to see in the economic update that the department has received $600 million for education.

There remains more work to be done, of course, but with the community’s support, I’ll do everything in my power to provide it with high-quality service.

Senator Audette: That’s what I like to hear, because we saw it in the announcement and we have high hopes for you.

Can we expect, minister, that Uashat mak Mani-Utenam and Tshakapesh will sign an action plan and an agreement with your department before the end of the fiscal year?

Ms. Gull-Masty: Over the past four weeks, I have been meeting with the Innu Nation on other issues, and ITUM and the Tshakapesh Institute attended those meetings.

I asked my regional advisor for Quebec to follow up, and the response was encouraging. I believe that the work that is being done by the ITUM and Tshakapesh communities is very important because it is based on culture. That is something that we need to protect as we work to deliver education services to the community.

We are nearing the end of the project, and I look forward to seeing what will happen in the future. I always encourage the nations by saying that we are here to deliver services and, to do that, we need to establish strong partnerships. ITUM and Tshakapesh —

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Thank you, minister.