Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We actually fall in no man's land some days. It just depends on how well we're able to blend in.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, but before that ever happens, I'm going to ensure that everything has already been turned over to my grandsons.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I have no choice. If that is not taken out, I have no choice. Before I die, I have to ensure that everything I own is transferred to my grandchildren to ensure they're protected. I own 25 acres of land, fully wooded, which is very valuable, and I've worked hard for everything I h

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm not going to risk my estate.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In that case then, it will depend on how well behaved they are over the next 15 years. That will determine what they get.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't see why they aren't requesting to come here.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, if I have an opportunity to make a change to this Indian Act, as a first nations person I'm going to take it.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm saying yes. We have to start somewhere. What really bothers me about this whole Indian Act is that I don't think most Canadians realize that the apartheid system in South Africa was based on the Indian Act. Here we were in Canada condemning the South African government for ap

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We have to start somewhere—if it starts with four little amendments, then it starts with four little amendments. You can't just take the Indian Act, as a lot of people would like to see, and rip it up, because you're going to leave a void. That's the problem. But at some point we

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  At our assembly, we're allowed 18 delegates per province. Each of my board members is the chief and president of the province he or she comes from, in which they have a board of directors that they report to. Those board members are the chiefs and councils of the communities in t

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I have been given direction by my board to support this, but with the amendment concerning treaties. As I said, it's the same as it was with JMAC. It's the same thing. It's the same stuff that we had extensive consultations on under Minister Nault, when I went for a month and a

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I said, as soon as I found out about the bill, I contacted Mr. Clarke. I set up a meeting with him and his staff, along with my staff, to find out first of all what he was attempting to do. Then I went back, relayed the information to my board, gave them a full briefing, and a

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I just told everybody today what I wanted to see. The last piece I'd like to see in there is not just reporting on the progress of amendments to the Indian Act, but also treaty updates. How are the treaty tables across Canada going? That's it.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  —historical first nations.