Madam Speaker, I am rising with regard to a question that I asked on March 3. It was about proposed changes the Conservatives were considering with regard to accountability measures as well as governance. In the question, I was focusing on the process around consultation.
We know from speaking with first nations that they are more than willing to look at current governance within first nations communities. They are more than willing to look at accountability measures. However, they want to be included in the process.
I want to refer to a newspaper article which appeared in the Globe and Mail on March 3. The headline reads, “Sweeping documents reveal sweeping new rules for natives”. An access to information request revealed that the government was looking at this process. The article states:
The federal government is secretly planning an overhaul of the rules governing Canada's reserves that is far more sweeping than what Ottawa is telling Canada's chiefs and native leaders.
Further on the article states:
--the government is aiming for the changes to take effect on April 1, 2010. Because the changes will be brought in as new policy rather than a new law, that they can be implemented without triggering a debate in Parliament over legislation.
There are a couple of concerns about this. First, the government is not doing the kind of consultation that first nations communities have called for consistently. Second, it is attempting to circumvent parliamentary oversight.
Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states:
Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop their own indigenous decision-making institutions.
We know, of course, that Canada has failed to sign on to the UN declaration, but many other countries in the world have. This clearly outlines the fact that first nations must have involvement in decision making that directly impacts on their lives and their communities.
I was speaking to the chief and council in Kitigan Zibi today. They were talking about the fact that they certainly have not been consulted when it comes to changes in first nations governance or accountability measures. They would welcome those conversations. They have all kinds of accountability measures in place. They said today they have open books.
On another matter regarding consultation, the government hired some consultants to take a look at matrimonial real property. In their report the consultants outlined some specific elements that should be included in consultation. Recommendation 18 stated:
The Department should develop, as soon as possible, specific policies and procedures relating to consultation in order to ensure that future consultation activities can identify and discharge any legal duty to consult while also fulfilling objectives of good governance and public policy...
A number of items follow, and I would like to touch on a couple of them. One is to ensure that first nations have relevant information to the issues for decision in a timely manner.
Time and time again the government claims it is doing consultation by telling people the day before that there is a meeting the following day. We saw this in the drinking water guidelines that are being reviewed. The government claims there was a consultation process, but first nations simply did not have the opportunity to show up and provide adequate documentation.