Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 10th, 2006

[The Clerk]

Honourable members of the committee, I have received a statement from Mr. Vellacott confirming his resignation as chair of this committee.

Your first item of business will be to elect a chair.

I am ready to receive nominations.

Mr. Albrecht.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

I'd like to nominate Colin Mayes.

[The Clerk]

It has been moved by Mr. Albrecht that Colin Mayes be elected chair of the committee.

Are there any further motions?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Clerk]

I now invite Mr. Colin Mayes to take the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

I would like to make a statement first. I have had experience as a mayor for a number of years. I know that is somewhat different from chairing a committee. I do appreciate the confidence you have shown in me. I would just ask that all members of this committee respect the position of chair. As well, if members have any issues to deal with me personally, I would ask that they do that in private, please.

I would also like to thank Mr. Vellacott for his resignation. His resignation proves that his first concern was for this committee and for the mandate of this committee, which is to address the issues that affect aboriginal, Métis, and Inuit communities across Canada. I want to thank him for that.

Now that we have that resolved, let's move on to the business of this committee. Thank you.

In terms of our agenda, we have an opportunity for witnesses requested from the department to talk about the....

Mr. Lemay.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I will give you time to find the interpretation channel, Mr. Chairman.

It's not an urgent matter.

Mr. Chairman, first allow me to congratulate you on your election. As we have all seen over the past few days, assuming the chairmanship of a committee is no easy task. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, and, I would imagine, on behalf of the other members of the committee, I would like to wish you every success in your new position.

Our research staff were asked to provide us with a document, which they have done. Now we have to do our homework, and by that I mean, we have to fill in the said document. The plan is to send it to your offices. I know that this is not on today's agenda, but I would suggest that each member of the committee send his or her list of priorities to the clerk. The clerk will compile a master list of your priorities, numbered from 1 to 19. He will share the results with us at the next meeting; doing it this way will save us a lot of time. That is my first suggestion.

My next point is not on the agenda either; however, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development will be making a statement in the House today concerning a final settlement on the matter of residential schools. I think that members of this committee ought to recognize the government's efforts, and thank the minister who has worked diligently to resolve this matter, which has been in limbo for too long. We ought to congratulate the government, and, once again, ask it to issue the cheques to the former students of the residential schools, who are now elderly, as quickly as possible. This being done, we will be able to turn the page on this shameful episode in Canadian history.

Once we have dealt with these points, we can hear from the departmental officials. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Thank you, Mr. Lemay.

Mrs. Crowder.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Chair, I would suggest that since under routine motions the chair has the ability to pull together a subcommittee to review agenda and future business, perhaps it would be a good idea to have one and report back to the main committee at the next meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Certainly.

Before we move on, would it be in order and the pleasure of the committee to deal with the issues brought up by Mr. Lemay, by a motion that as a committee we fill this out and turn it into the clerk? Could I have a motion to that effect?

It is moved by Mr. Lemay.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Do we have a timeline on that, Mr. Clerk?

Mr. Lemay, would you like to have this in by the next meeting?

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

If possible, I would like to have a copy of the final version of the ranked list of priorities by our next meeting. That would allow us to get to work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

So that's understood.

I wanted to finish with the second issue Mr. Lemay brought forward regarding the minister and the residential schools settlement. Does this committee wish to send a letter to the minister congratulating him and his ministry on finalizing this agreement?

Mrs. Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Certainly I would like to congratulate the minister on finalizing the agreement in principle that was put forward by the previous government. This is indeed a very important document. I know that many of the survivors, who are still here from the aboriginal schools era, have been waiting for this settlement for a very long period of time. This is a day of celebration for those here, and they are finally being accorded the respect they have been waiting for. So yes, I would certainly endorse sending a letter to the minister on behalf of the committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Is there a consensus on that?

Mrs. Crowder.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Although I'm very pleased with the announcement around residential schools today, I guess my concern is that there is still another step in the process. It would have to be a qualified congratulatory letter, because until money is actually in people's hands....

It has to go to the courts for further approval. The letter would have to be qualified. It could still be months before people have the money, other than interim payments. I think there's a cautionary note here as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Mr. Russell.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Indeed it is good news that we have moved forward on the Indian residential schools agreement. I'd like to acknowledge a number of people in this room who were involved in this file for many years and who fought very hard for some resolution of this blot on our collective history. If we thank the minister, we need to also thank in some way all of those aboriginal people who've spent their lives looking for justice through many administrations.

I had the privilege to chair for six years the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, where I met some of the most beautiful human beings I've ever met. Some of them are in this room today. It's a very emotional time when you see these people who are good friends, who have fought hard. We must acknowledge the work of the aboriginal people in moving this file forward as well. Without them it would never have happened, and my hat is off to them.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Mr. Lévesque.

[Yvon Lévesque, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

If we send a thank you letter to the minister, it should also state that we want to see the first cheques issued as quickly as possible so that the matter is fully settled. In other words, our thanks must be accompanied by an expression of the committee's strong desire to see the issue fully resolved as quickly as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Perhaps I could turn to the parliamentary secretary and ask him that question.

Mr. Bruinooge.

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

Mr. Chair, we on this side also are very pleased with the minister's announcement today. I apologize for being almost late; I was in the House during the time he was making the announcement.

Just from hearing some of the sentiments, I think I can say that we are all in agreement that it is a great day, but perhaps some of the other views we'd like to bring forward in terms of timing might best be reserved for next week, when the minister will actually be meeting with us. That might be a good opportunity to bring those forward.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Madam Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I accept, Mr. Chair, what the parliamentary secretary indicates, but part of the agreement is a good faith clause that will fast-track the agreement to the elders. I would very much like to see, in the letter you send, that the committee endorses it and that we hope the elders will receive this shortly.

I realize that there will be a payment schedule for those who are not elders, but I think it's important that the fast-track good faith agreement be honoured and move forward quickly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Is it the pleasure of the committee that I forward a letter on your behalf making that statement, plus the statement that Mr. Russell said about thanking not only the minister and his department but all those who were associated with the resolution of this agreement?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.