Ron Irwin

[Aboriginal Self-Government, May 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in answer to the leader of the Reform Party, the way it looks like it is playing out now is that the leadership after consultation with the membership has decided on dismantling, to take it subject matter by subject matter starting with capital, forestry and so on.

At some point they will take back what they think is an appropriate self-government arrangement to their people. I am hopeful that if the leadership is wise and does the job wisely, as perhaps we have not done on our side in the past, that the people will ratify the agreements.

[Aboriginal Self-Government, May 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if my friend is suggesting another referendum but I think he is.

Probably in the long run this is going to depend a lot on how the aboriginal people govern themselves. The way they govern themselves now is to always go back to the people. They go back to the people much more than we do. They have more self-government now. I see some of the hon. members nodding. Anybody who has done aboriginal work realizes that they are consulting all the time.

A short answer to the question is that there probably will be referendums at the band level if they go along on the same basis they are now.

[Aboriginal Self-Government, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member suggests that the aboriginal people are not ready for self-government. Might I remind the hon. member that they have been held under the Indian Act in a situation of paternalism and assimilation since 1850, acts that we passed here in Canada.

It is our doing, incorrectly, in bringing in the Indian Act that has caused this paternalism and this fear. We are trying to break that because we have created it. In the four years that I hope we are here and I am in this ministry that Indian Act that was passed is going to be gone.

[Aboriginal Self-Government, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, dealing with the specific question, how do I know I am dealing with the rank and file? At the meeting where this was discussed two weeks ago there were 60 chiefs all elected by the rank and file. There were 400 people, all from Manitoba, all accountable to the rank and file. They almost unanimously after getting their direction from the chiefs, from the rank and file, want self-government. They have been waiting 150 years for it and they are ready to move on it.

[Indian Affairs, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I might remind the hon. member that it was not this government that brought the army out. It was not this government that would not negotiate.

This government is bringing the Mohawk people here to Ottawa and dealing with them. The government of Quebec is bringing the Mohawk people to Quebec City and dealing with them. We will deal with the reeves, we will deal with the mayors and we will deal with the people. We do not create problems, we solve them.

[Indian Affairs, May 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps after Question Period my good friend can show me the letter, we can talk quietly and I can give him whatever information I have.

[Indian Affairs, May 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is that we cannot trust these people because they cannot handle their affairs. I do not accept that premise.

What I see out there are honourable chiefs, honourable members, 400 of whom met at The Pas and unanimously said: "The time is now. We like your policy. We are prepared to work with you", and I intend to work with these people.

[Indian Affairs, May 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the question is: Do rank and file aboriginal people of Manitoba want self-government at this time? The response would be yes.

[Purchase Of Properties At Oka, May 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that the former government purchased approximately 90 pieces of property which the Mohawks still have not taken over. Notwithstanding that, we allocated money for renovations and allocated money for a housing committee.

I dropped the precondition to negotiations that we would have to solve north of 344 before I would be prepared to bring a recommendation to cabinet. The meeting today was along those lines. Its progress is moving in the right direction.

I am very sympathetic to the problems that people south of 344 are facing. There is gunfire. I am not talking about a bit of gunfire. I am talking about thousands of rounds going off as early as last Saturday night. It is not a problem that they created. It is a problem that exists and a problem that we are prepared to solve.

I am glad the hon. member is inviting the federal government to go into Quebec and solve problems.

[Purchase Of Properties At Oka, May 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I had what I thought was a very fruitful meeting with the APIK members. I just came from it. I have a statement that they have agreed to.

[Translation]

I promise to meet as soon as possible with Mr. Christos Sirros and APIK representatives to solve the problems of the properties located south of highway 344 and four enclaves and the security of that territory.

I hope that satisfies the hon. member.