CBC Radio's The House: Meet the ministers
CBC Radio | Posted: October 30, 2021 8:00 AM | Last Updated: October 30, 2021
Here is what's on this week's episode of The House
The question of compensation for First Nations children
The federal government filed notice Friday of an appeal of a ruling that ordered Canada to compensate First Nations children and relatives who were discriminated against by federal underfunding of on-reserve child welfare systems. At the same time, federal ministers involved in the decision also committed to compensating those harmed and to fixing the system itself.
The government said their filing Friday was a "protective appeal" and that litigation would be paused while negotiations continue between the government and parties representing those who had been harmed. The government, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations plan to sit down to negotiate an agreement by December.
Host Chris Hall spoke with the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, Cindy Blackstock, to get her reaction to the news late Friday.
Home-ing in on the housing crisis
Though there is some disagreement on solutions, all major parties agree on the problem: for many, housing is unaffordable in Canada. Ahmed Hussen has had the issue handed to him as the new minister of housing.
Can he tackle a cross-jurisdictional issue that is affecting people's lives right now, but may take years to fix? The new minister sits down with host Chris Hall to discuss.
How Canada can help turn down the heat
The world is on track for 2.7 degrees Celsius of warming, according to a new UN report out this week — and that's even taking current climate commitments into account.
The House hears from the head of the UN Environment Programme, Inger Andersen, about what countries like Canada need to do to avoid that "completely unimaginable" scenario.
Will Canada increase its climate ambition?
As the head of the UN Environment Programme calls for greater political action on climate, The House speaks to the two ministers charged with making that happen: new Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and new Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.
The two sat down with host Chris Hall prior to taking off for COP26 in Glasgow to discuss the transition into their new portfolios.
Because it's 2021
Women now head some of the most powerful portfolios in the Canadian government: finance, foreign affairs and defence.
Former ministers Lisa Raitt and Anne McLellan sit down with Chris Hall to talk about what they think of the appointments — and what the new ministers bring to these top jobs.