Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, we didn't create the issue with the Métis. Within the Indian Act...infant tribesmen, women losing status when they married a non-indigenous person. That's where the Métis issue came about within our area. It's up to Canada to resolve this Métis issue in another way, but don't use first nations again.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Certainly, I totally agree with what my friend is saying. We are both treaty people. As far as we're concerned, with regard to our lands, we were the original inhabitants of the lands, and we are still there. Look at, for example, water. One of our communities, for over 30 years, is on boiled water.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, I didn't mention it at all. It wasn't me. The AFN is merely an administrative organization as far as we're concerned.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In the Treaty 9 territory, communities are remote. Primarily it's heating furnaces that we have. You can imagine that the price of hydro is very high. We don't use it for heating at all.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, we do not at all.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As far as Matawa is concerned, first nations should be concerned, as well as the Inuit, in terms of UNDRIP, because we do not see it as being the right way of moving forward.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'll repeat what he said. We cannot have self-government without land. We have to have the land, the resources and everything that is here, as we had previously from our ancestors.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  First nations and Inuit people are the original inhabitants as we stated in our brief. They were the original inhabitants and landholders of this land.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As far as our position, first nations indigenous peoples are the only rightful owners within our treaty territories.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As far as Matawa is concerned, eight of our communities are within the James Bay Treaty No. 9. In fact, the communities signed Treaty No. 9 in 1905.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm sorry. I have issues with the sound here.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Can I answer? I didn't get a chance to answer your previous question there.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As far as I am concerned, this legislation, Bill C-53, does not define who the Métis are. It seems to me that the Métis Nation of Ontario defined who their own members are. Whereas, as indigenous status people, we are defined within the legislation under the Indian Act. That defines us, so it's a free-for-all as far as I can see in this Bill C-53.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It is happening right now with the Métis Nation of Ontario. Pretty well anyone who declares, “I am a Métis” can be a member, and clearly there is no real definition. I'm sure that happens across Alberta as well, so it's self-determination. Métis themselves define who they are.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I certainly agree with that. Reconciliation is being set back under this legislation, and trust is going to be lost. It's so unfortunate, but it seems to me that it's underhanded of the Liberal government to try to force this upon us as first nations. Certainly reconciliation, as far as I am concerned, is dead because of the introduction of Bill C-53.