Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Feb. 25th, 2020

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Chair, I want to debate today the motion I moved earlier. Given the importance of the crisis, we have to discuss it today. I don't see why we need to wait another 48 hours, given the current critical state across Canada.

So I am asking for everyone's cooperation to discuss my motion, please.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Do we have unanimous consent to suspend the 48-hour notice? This was from the routine motions that were passed on February 18.

Do we have unanimous consent?

No, we don't have unanimous consent.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Can I ask you why you do not agree with the proposal, given the current critical situation?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

I want to put on the record that we will be glad to discuss this on Thursday.

Just to go through the process, last Thursday we met as a subcommittee. We had some extensive discussions on the motions at hand and came forward with a recommendation this morning as a subcommittee, and it passed.

We recognize that this is a very important issue, but, frankly, we don't even have the text in hand and will need some time to reflect on it. Certainly, on Thursday we will be glad to discuss it in much further detail, and I think we'll be more informed at that point.

We will be prepared to have that discussion on Thursday as the first order of business.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Ms. Qaqqaq, did you have your hand up?

[Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Yes. Mat'na.

I would like to say that I agree with my colleague from the Bloc Québécois that this is something we should be discussing right away. I want to have that on the record as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you very much.

The particular motion doesn't apply....

Mr. Schmale, go ahead.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Before you rule, I want to reaffirm the Conservative Party's support for the Bloc Québécois motion, and that we would be in favour of discussing that today as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Mr. Battiste.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Before I was elected, I had 10 years of representing the hereditary chiefs in the Atlantic, the Mi'kmaw community. I'm not quite sure what the motion speaks to, but in terms of hereditary chiefs, there are a number in Canada that are still active.

One of the things, though, I would caution about.... I would like to see the text and have a thorough debate on what we're including in this, because we could have a deep dive into the history of hereditary chiefs, hereditary structures, and how colonization has changed that over the years, but I don't think we would be any closer to addressing the issue.

My discussions with the national chief and the regional chief from B.C., as well as some of the hereditary chiefs, were concerned with the frustration and the lack of implementation of treaty and inherent rights.

One of the things I've proposed is looking at a mechanism by which we can resolve that. We have a federal government that has an attorney general that represents their rights. We have a provincial government that has an attorney general that represents their rights. The indigenous people don't have that right now.

What has been called for by AFN and by treaty commissioners across Canada is a large look at what we can do to create a mechanism to create implementation and awareness of treaties and inherent rights.

This is something we have put in the treaty commission that we have already passed. I think that one of the things that would serve this committee well is, as part of that treaty commission discussion, to ensure that we are also calling hereditary chiefs and hearing from them on the basis of seeking solutions, rather than just looking at the history and creating more information about these groups.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Mr. Battiste.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

I think it's important that we move with the commission.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Mr. Battiste, we are dealing with the 48-hour issue. I love this discussion. Everybody in this room knows it's important, but what is before us now is the 48-hour waiver. We don't have that.

I'm going to rule that this motion is not in line with the business of today. I'm sure it will emerge eventually.

Is this with regard to the 48 hours, Ms. Qaqqaq? I really don't want to open a debate on this subject now.

[Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

You're not going to let me have my time for comment?

I just want to say that there are six of us here on this side saying that we want to talk about it, and five on the other side. It seems like a tactic we've been seeing from the Liberal government over the last number of months.

I agree with you, and I support that. We respect the 48 hours. Okay, sure, but I want to make sure that we're all on the same page and each voice is being heard as it should be.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you for those comments.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

I would like to add that we are open to amendments. What we want is to talk about it. I understand that we are talking about history, but indigenous peoples are currently going through a crisis. We have to organize talks with indigenous people and experts on indigenous affairs to resolve the situation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Let me ask if the committee would like to reserve some time at the end of the meeting on Thursday to discuss this motion. Would we be in favour of that?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

I'm going to suggest that we have this discussion at the beginning of the meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

We'll have it at the beginning of the next meeting on Thursday.

All in favour of that?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Bratina]

Thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.