Good morning, everyone. Welcome back. I call our meeting to order.
This is meeting number 92 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
We recognize that we're meeting on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe peoples.
Pursuant to the House order of reference adopted on June 21, 2023, and pursuant to the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 26, 2023, the committee is meeting to proceed with the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-53, an act respecting the recognition of certain Métis governments in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. We have only members online today. They know how to run things remotely, so I'm going to skip over the rest of that part.
I would like to welcome some substitutes today. We have Monsieur Lemire from the Bloc, and Heath MacDonald and Jenica Atwin for the Liberals. Welcome.
I'd also like to welcome back our officials from the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. We have Michael Schintz, federal negotiations manager of negotiations—central for treaties and aboriginal government, and Blake McLaughlin, director general of negotiations—central for treaties and aboriginal government.
From the Department of Justice, we have Julia Redmond, legal counsel.
It's good to see that everybody's back here with us after Christmas and the holidays. Welcome back.
(On clause 13)
We'll now go through the continuation of Bill C-53. We're in clause-by-clause, and we left off with a discussion on clause 13.
I don't have anybody else on the speaking list. Does anybody want to speak to clause 13 before we move on?
Ms. Idlout, we'll go to you first.