Question Period Note: Launch of the National Action Plan and Federal Pathway in response to the MMIWG Inquiry

• On June 3, 2021, the Government of Canada alongside Indigenous partners and organizations, families, survivors, and provinces and territories, virtually launched the National Action Plan and Federal Pathway.
• The National Action Plan aims to end violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit LBGTQQIA+ people.
• The Federal Pathway is a comprehensive approach to ending violence by taking concrete actions in four key areas identified by the National Inquiry: culture, health and wellness, human safety and security, and justice.

N/A

If pressed on Native Women’s Association of Canada Departure from National Action Plan process
• Over 100 Indigenous women and Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+ partners from government and non-government organizations, Indigenous women’s organizations, and families and survivors collaborated to develop the National Action Plan.
• The Government of Canada provided funding to the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) to support their participation as a contributing partner in the development of the National Action Plan.
• The Government continues to engage with NWAC in relation to the implementation of the National Action Plan.

Actions since forming government
• Since 2017, the Government has passed various legislation to address the root causes of this national tragedy.
• Through the coordination of the Government and contributions from partners, both the National Action Plan and the Federal Pathway were released on June 3, 2021.
• Budget 2021 proposes to invest an additional $2.2 billion over five years, and $160.9 million ongoing, to address the root causes contributing to this tragedy and help build a safer and more inclusive society.

Genocide
• Some actions and policies have directly led to the loss and extinguishment of Indigenous languages, cultures and traditional practices.
• The Government has accepted the Final Report of the National Inquiry and respects their findings.
• The Government is grateful for the work of all partners on the development of a National Action Plan to eliminate violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+ people.

MMIWG – Related CIRNAC Programs
• The Government has invested $30 million over five years to support Indigenous-led engagement throughout the development and implementation of the National Action Plan.
• The Government announced four new programs:
o $12.5 million over five years with $2.5 million ongoing to support families and survivors;
o $8.5 million over six years to support the creation of a National Indigenous Data Advisory Body and to fund Research Projects;
o $108.8 million over two years to revitalize Indigenous cultural spaces; and,
o $36.3 million over five years and $8.6 million ongoing for stable funding for Indigenous women’s and Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+ organizations.
If pressed on working groups (100 words)
• As the 2020 Speech from the Throne highlighted, the development of the National Action Plan was a priority for the government.
• The working groups, made up of more than 100 Indigenous women and Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+ people, formed a governance structure which included the Core Working Group, the National Family and Survivors Circle, working groups specific to First Nations, Inuit, Métis, urban, Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+, data, federal government, and provincial and territorial governments.
• Many of the working groups are focusing on the implementation of their chapters. The Federal Government continues to work with these partners on the implementation of the Federal Pathway.

If pressed – ONWA
• The Government is working with the Ontario Native Women’s Association to ensure their collective knowledge and expertise is included in the development of the National Action Plan as well as in the Implementation Framework of the Federal Pathway.
If pressed on Budget 2021 supports for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (78 words)
• Budget 2021 has proposed to invest an additional $2.2 billion over five years, and $160.9 million ongoing, to end violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit LGBTQQIA+ people. This Budget has also outlines other significant investments to address the underlying root causes of gender-based violence.
• These new investments build on previous investments taken to respond to the National Inquiry, including those in the Interim and Final Reports.
• Multiple federal departments are working together to implement Budget 2021 investments.

If pressed on Implementation of the Federal Pathway
• The Government of Canada is committed to accelerating the work to implement the Federal Pathway and the National Action Plan.
• Many of the commitments in the Federal Pathway and Budget 2021 are well underway to being implemented, with the aim to seeing concrete results on the ground as soon as possible.
• An Implementation Framework with all involved government departments is being developed for engagement with partners.

If pressed on Implementation of the whole National Action Plan
• Implementing the National Action Plan will require a concerted effort by all.
• The Government of Canada will continue to work with Indigenous partners, families and survivors provinces and territories, and other organizations on the implementation of the National Action Plan. Through this collaboration, we are confident that we can achieve real, tangible results for Indigenous women, girls and Two Spirit + Peoples.