Evidence of meeting #8 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was indian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:20 p.m.
Conservative
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
I do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Lavallée, I didn't have your papers here and I may have got the wrong impression. You talked about the Indian Act. I was left with the impression that you thought we should get rid of it. Is that correct?
6:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
We're just about wrapped up. I have one summary question for Ms. Lavallée, just so we completely understand where we're at in the process. I heard some measured support for the initiative here, but later there was a qualification that really rejected many of the proposals in the bill.
Are you in a position to see that the measures proposed by Bill C-3, recognizing that they're not a complete fix, but if they take us part of the way to realizing the inequities in the Indian Act and the fact that this other process in front of us will explore many of the other concerns...? I think even the bill anticipates that there are other issues around registration and membership that need to be addressed. Is CAP giving tentative support for these measures on the basis that this other process will continue that evolution?
6:25 p.m.
National Chief, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
You're correct. We're prepared to support Bill C-3, based on the fact that we have been told there will be a supporting process that will give us the opportunity to have input from the ground up. We only had measured input on this document because of the timeframe and the amount of funding. But we believe that with this parallel process we can go a long way toward not just resolving the issue of citizenship, but through working with our other national political organizations, reconstituting our historical nations in the hope that some day we won't be having this discussion again.
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
That really helps to clarify it. Thank you very much.
To both of our witnesses, thank you for joining us this afternoon.
To members, thank you for your patience with our extended meeting this afternoon. Well done. Have a good evening.
This meeting is adjourned.
Merci beaucoup.