Two federal ministers toured the Coquitlam campus of Douglas College this morning, April 23, and spoke with students and faculty in the Indigenous Pathway program.
Afterwards, Harjit Sajjan and Arif Virani turned their comments to the media, focusing in on Indigenous investments, including in housing and education, in the Budget 2024.
Though yet to be passed by the federal NDP, which has a supply and confidence agreement with the minority Liberals, the proposed budget highlights the theme “Fairness for Every Generation” and sets aside $918 million in Indigenous housing and community infrastructure, as well as $545 million for Indigenous studies and schools plus $5 billion for the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program to spin economic growth.
Sajjan, the minister of emergency preparedness and minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, told the Douglas students gathered in Coquitlam that he was impressed with what he saw and heard at the college.
“We have your back,” he said. “We want you to have the tools for you to succeed.”
Virani, the justice minister and Attorney General of Canada, also talked about UNDRIP — the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples — first adopted in B.C. to provide a guide for reconciliation with First Nations, Métis and Inuit.
With educators Jennifer Anaquod and Marny Point by his side along with Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam MP Ron McKinnon, Virani said Budget 2024 aims to “unlock Indigenous potential” after centuries of systematic oppression and discrimination.
Wildfire season
Meanwhile, Sajjan spoke with the Tri-City News about more funding to fight wildfires, which are expected to light up B.C. this summer with the drought-like conditions.
Sajjan said B.C. was one of the first provinces in the country to sign on for more firefighting equipment, as well as training for 1,000 firefighters and senior managers.
Sajjan said he met with emergency personnel across Canada to make sure officials learned "the lessons from last year” in preventing and battling wild blazes, and finding solutions.
“There are some people who say that climate change doesn’t exist,” Sajjan said, without naming federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
“But it’s all around us. We need to tackle these problems because they’re not going away.”
