I think so, Mr. Vidal. I will try to respond. There were a few pieces to that.
I'll start with the constitution, the self-government treaty.
While final treaties or self-government treaties that CIRNA negotiates with indigenous partners require that there be a constitution in place, we do not give legal force and effect to those constitutions. Those constitutions are documents that are used for the internal governance of the MNA and the MNA's collectivity.
You asked a question as well, and I think you were asking for some clarification about my earlier comments about the Métis settlements. To try to give some added clarity, what we say in the 2023 agreement signed with MNA is that their laws regarding citizenship will not allow an individual who's eligible for citizenship but is enrolled on either the Indian register or another band list, or enrolled as a member of another Métis government, to be provided citizenship. There is no dual citizenship.
However, we say in the immediate next clause, which is 8.08, that “nothing in this Agreement prevents a member of a Métis Settlement...from registering or being a Citizen” of the MNA. Again, that is the status quo, as we understand it, as it exists today.
In terms of providing added protection or clarity for those who have made clear to this committee that their rights are not being represented by the MNA, I think that is the intention of this committee in bringing forward non-derogation language. I believe we've made our points with respect to that.