Gary Vidal

[Jake Letkeman, November 18th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is with bittersweet thankfulness that I stand and recognize the life and legacy of Dr. Jake Letkeman. A pillar of our communities, he was a once-in-a-lifetime, larger-than-life man who knew that his faith had called him to live a life in service to others. He did that joyfully and with abundant love.

Dr. Jake recognized the health care struggles in Saskatchewan's rural north. He delivered thousands of babies and spent decades travelling to provide ultrasounds and other maternal care to expectant mothers. Holidays for Jake, his wife Myrna and his family would often mean being overseas, helping in clinics in smaller communities or helping rebuild homes after a hurricane.

One of the most lasting legacies Jake left in the community of Meadow Lake was as a founder of Door of Hope, a food bank and life skills organization that serves the most vulnerable and marginalized people in our community.

He was a man who was known by some as father, papa or doctor, but known by all as friend. Today, I ask all to celebrate the life of Dr. Jake Letkeman with me.

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 1st, 2024]

With regard to the allegations outlined in the forensic audit conducted for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) by PricewaterhouseCoopers related to the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation: what are the details of the report, broken down by each allegation in the report, including (i) a summary of the allegation, (ii) the audit’s finding or conclusion, (iii) the amount of ineligible expenses involved, (iv) the amount of questionable expenses involved, (v) the total amount of expenses involved, (vi) ISC’s response to the finding?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 12th, 2024]

With regard to the Minister of Rural Economic Development’s announcement on improving connectivity in rural Saskatchewan made on March 17, 2023, since the announcement: (a) how much of the $37 million in announced funding has been spent to date; (b) what projects, if any, have received funding; and (c) have any of the Hanson Lake Road projects been approved for this funding, including (i) Hanson Lake Road A UBF-3500, (ii) Hanson Lake Road B UBF-3501, (iii) Hanson Lake Road C UBF-3502, (iv) Creighton UBF-3503, (v) Hanson Lake Road UBF-3506, (vi) other projects?

[Meadow Lake Athlete, June 12th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to rise and recognize Niki Ens, an accomplished athlete who grew up in my hometown of Meadow Lake.

As a young person, Niki was a provincial champion track athlete, a lifeguard at a local swimming pool and, amazingly, rode across Canada on her bike in 32 days. In 2014, just after starting her career as a nurse, a motor vehicle accident left Niki confined to a wheelchair. Her positive attitude and resilient spirit have allowed her to become a role model that we can all be inspired by.

She recently qualified for the Paris Paralympic Games by winning gold in the 50-metre backstroke at the Canadian trials in Toronto. This will be Niki's second Paralympics. In the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, she set personal bests in all of her races. Niki has always appreciated the tremendous support of her family. I know her parents, Rod and Monica, will be in the stands in Paris supporting her.

Together with the whole community of Meadow Lake, I ask that this House join me today in cheering on Niki Ens.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 3rd, 2024]

With regard to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), since 2015: (a) how many forensic audits (i) have been conducted, (ii) are currently ongoing; (b) which First Nations communities (i) have been audited, (ii) are in the process of a forensic audit; (c) what were the reasons for initiating each of the audits in (b); and (d) for each audit that has been completed, (i) which community was audited, (ii) what were the results, (iii) how can the public access the findings, including the website where they are available, (iv) what action, if any, did ISC take in response to the audit?

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 3rd, 2024]

With regard to the new reporting requirements for bare trusts introduced in January 2023: how many T3 Income Tax and Information Returns (T3 returns) including schedule 15 (Beneficial Ownership Information of a Trust) were filed for the 2023 tax year?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 22nd, 2024]

With regard to the approximately $602 million that Indigenous Services Canada spent on medical evacuations in 2022: what is the breakdown of the spending by (i) province or territory, (ii) community, (iii) reason for the evacuation (heart attack, prenatal care, child delivery, cancer treatment, etc.)?

[Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, February 12th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, today, I want to recognize and thank those who support me in the work I do representing the good people of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River.

First, there are the many volunteers who consistently give generously of their time. Although, there are too many to name; they know who they are.

Second, there are my team members, both at home and here in Ottawa, who do the hard work behind the scenes every day. For me, they are Dion, Hunter, Linnae, Emalie and Cindy.

Most importantly, there is my family, both immediate and extended, who are always there for me.

It is always great to have the opportunity to show visitors around this place and to see the awe on their faces as they walk around.

These last few days, my wife, Lori, and I have enjoyed having our family here, most of them for the very first time. It has been great to have Kent and Rebekah; Alex and Sam; Nicole, Washington and their boys Nathaniel and Eli here with us. Unfortunately, my son and his wife, Mac and Hannah, were not able to come.

I ask all members to join me today in thanking those who support us in the important work we do in this place.

[Indigenous Services, December 11th, 2023]

Mr. Chair, Bill C-29 was introduced on the last day of the June 2022 session, which was about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Bill C-38 was introduced on December 14, 2022, and not revisited until 11 months later, again on the last day of a session. Bill C-53 was introduced on the last day of the session in June of 2023, and today we have the introduction of water legislation, not on the last day but the last week of a session.

Does the member believe that the government is serious about its promise to indigenous people when, at the last moment and at the end of the last four sessions of Parliament, the government chooses to introduce indigenous legislation?

[Indigenous Services, December 11th, 2023]

Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague for his passionate comments.

The member talked about some of the frustrations with Indigenous Services Canada and the growth and ballooning in some of the statistics. One thing I would like him to comment on is the investment in internal services in Indigenous Services Canada, which has increased from $146 million in 2018 to just under $300 million in 2023. Could the member speak to the kind of bloated bureaucracy that is here in Ottawa, rather than services out on the ground serving the people that he represents?