House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 1997, with 38% of the vote.
Nisga'A Final Agreement Act December 6th, 1999
moved:
Motion No. 35
That Bill C-9, in Clause 2, be amended
(a) by replacing line 7 on page 2 with the following:
“the Nisga'a Indian Bands and Her majesty in right”
(b) by replacing the word “Nation” by the words “Indian Bands” wherever it occurs within the Bill.
Nisga'A Final Agreement Act December 2nd, 1999
moved:
Motion No. 18
That Bill C-9, in the preamble, be amended by replacing line 9 on page 1 with the following:
“through conflict;”
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, is that not great, the Charlottetown accord by inches.
In 1992 the Liberals campaigned for adoption of the Charlottetown accord. It called for the recognition of aboriginal governments as one of three orders of government in Canada. Now they say the Nisga'a treaty does not create a third order of government.
Let us clear this up once and for all. Does the recognition of aboriginal government create a third order of government? Yes or no?
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Charlottetown accord said, “Self-government agreements should be set out in future treaties, including land claims agreements”.
The minister of Indian affairs knows that when the accord was defeated in a national referendum, it was defeated by Indians and non-Indians alike.
Why is the minister ignoring the express wishes of a majority of all Canadians? Why is he including self-government in the Nisga'a treaty?
Supply November 22nd, 1999
Madam Speaker, the member for South Shore said that the opinion the Reform Party was expressing was not the opinion he heard on the streets of British Columbia. I would like to bring his attention to a couple of facts and some questions which were asked of British Columbians.
The first question was: “Do you believe the public has had adequate opportunity to provide input into the Nisga'a treaty?” There were 7,556 people who responded to that question. Of those 88.75% or 6,706 said no.
The second question was: “Do you believe that the people of B.C. should have the right to vote on the principles of the Nisga'a treaty in a provincial referendum?” The number of responses in total were 7,556. Those who said yes totalled 6,923.
In the few minutes the member for South Shore had to talk to people other than those on the gerrymandered witness list, I wonder what percentage he found, how many thousands of people from British Columbia he talked to, and whether it would add up to 90% disapproval as I have just pointed out to him.
Aboriginal Affairs November 22nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, a consultation? Would that not be a change for this government, particularly if it involved an x on a ballot?
When political elites like these dreamed up aboriginal self-government in the Charlottetown accord, it was defeated by a majority of Canadians, including a majority of grassroots aboriginals.
The government of the day received a clear message from Canadians. What has changed since then? Why will the government not conduct a referendum on the Nisga'a treaty in B.C.?
Aboriginal Affairs November 22nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the Charlottetown accord stated that the constitution should be amended to recognize that the aboriginal peoples of Canada have the inherent right of self-government within Canada.
For the information of the government, the accord was defeated in a Canada-wide referendum, including the majority of aboriginal people who voted. The Nisga'a treaty attempts to do by stealth what a majority of Canadians have already rejected.
Why is the government doing this? Why will it not give British Columbians a vote?
Supply November 22nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, that was an interesting speech, I am sure.
The member talked about respecting minority rights in this House. I remind him of some of the less honourable aspects of how this House respected minority rights. How about the Japanese during the second world war? How about the Chinese once the railroads were built? How about Indians being separated out from Canadian society and being put into the Indian Act? Where does he think those things arose from? Out of the clear blue sky? They came out of this House.
I wonder if the member thinks Canadian people would have supported them at the time or had they been put to a referendum, might they have had more wisdom than parliamentarians. I suggest they have more wisdom on the Nisga'a treaty. They also rejected the Charlottetown accord which separated people in this country one from another.
I am thankful for the grassroots Canadians who oppose the special interest politics this House stands for so often, particularly through the NDP party.
Nisga'A Treaty November 18th, 1999
A vote would be a lot better than negotiations, Mr. Speaker.
The government has no intention of listening to Canadians affected by the Nisga'a treaty. In fact, Canadians were shut out of the committee hearings.
The Liberal member from Haliburton—Victoria—Brock laughingly called the committee hearings a song and dance show. Hearing that the Liberals feel the committee meetings are a joke, will the minister give the people of B.C. a real voice and grant them a referendum, yes or no?
Nisga'A Treaty November 18th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, this week in B.C., the Indian affairs committee heard from Gitksan witnesses that the Nisga'a agreement allocates Gitksan land to the Nisga'a. The Nisga'a voted on it but the Gitksan did not, and they consider it an act of aggression.
Why is the Minister of Indian Affairs and North Development denying the Gitksan and all other British Columbians a vote on the Nisga'a treaty in a referendum? Why?