Evidence of meeting #147 for Canadian Heritage in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was language.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Elected-Secretary, Metis Settlements General Council
That would be 100% grassroots-driven. That's where the answers lie. Everything else would be a possible waste of time and a possible inefficient use of funding.
Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC
The Metis Settlements are unique in themselves, because they have their own infrastructure in place to actually provide programming.
Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC
You can't have one policy that fits everyone, so we have to go back to the drawing board and ask about what they need. One community may need something different from another. I think it should go back to the various communities across Canada from coast to coast to coast. As well, we should get a proposal: “This is what we need, and we need x dollars to accomplish this”, and then the discussion could go from there.
It's like building a house and making blueprints and not knowing how much money you have. You're not going to accomplish much because you don't have a budget.
What is your perspective?
Elected-Secretary, Metis Settlements General Council
I didn't mention that all of the Métis settlements have schools ranging from K to 6, all the way up to one settlement that has K to 12, and that's the one that's far up north by High Level.
We all have settlement offices. We all have local councils and chairpersons. We have a Metis Settlements census that takes place every three years. When I throw numbers out, they are very reliable, because our census is not a population sample census; we strive to knock on literally every single door. We have the infrastructure, the human resources and the programming in place. We are empowered by a lot of homework and research that we have done, and it would be a matter of resourcing and then leaving the program development to the communities themselves.
One of the things that I like to mention as well is that the Metis Settlements General Council also endorsed UNDRIP, not only to say that we want to be treated with an UNDRIP hand, but that we too, as a collective government, will practice proper consultation and grassroots-driven programming.
I think the Metis Settlements General Council would appreciate a return to the drawing board and some inclusion of the general council and the Métis settlements in the legislation, with more of an emphasis on oral learning and land-based learning.
I think I would leave it at that for now.
Liberal
Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC
I would like to thank Bridget for coming up.
As an educator, what challenges do you face?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
You're out of time. I was just giving you your last 10 seconds there.
Go ahead, Monsieur Nantel.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Joffe, you referred a number of times to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP.
Shouldn't it be referred to more clearly? Time flies. Ideally, this bill will be perfect and properly amended, but that's unlikely. Wouldn't it be a good guarantee if the bill referred to certain articles of the UNDRIP, such as articles 11 to 16? Wouldn't it be useful?
Lawyer, As an Individual
The UN declaration is supported worldwide. We don't have a big dissension anywhere in the whole world on it. If some instrument is supported very strongly by indigenous peoples, and if the world community has also accepted it by reaffirming it 10 times, then that instrument has legitimacy as a human rights instrument.
I think it's very useful to refer to it with the understanding that each different indigenous people will interpret it from their own world view, from their own priorities.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Ms. Fanta and Ms. Anderson, thank you for coming to speak about your experience.
I have in mind the image of Ms. Anderson who, at the age of 4, went to school and then ran out, since it wasn't her language and she didn't understand what people were talking about. It's an eloquent image.
I know that you need to leave. You asked us to stop at 5:30 p.m., and it's 5:37 p.m.
I'll take this opportunity to mention that cultural diversity is at stake. I would even quote Jean Larose, from the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, or APTN, who recently asked the government to take action with regard to the broadcasting and telecommunications system.
I'll let you go since I know you need to leave, Ms. Anderson, and I invite you very clearly—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
If you want to move your motion now, I would like to ask permission to allow all the witnesses to leave.
NDP
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
I believe that we are now moving to a motion that is not part of this study, if I'm correct. If so, I would like to thank all of you for providing us with your testimony today. You can all leave so that you don't have to sit through it.
Go ahead, Monsieur Nantel.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
I want to thank everyone.
All the committee members received an email yesterday from the Coalition for Culture and Media asking that the committee undertake the comparative study on similar legislation concerning broadcasting and telecommunications in other jurisdictions and on recent reforms in those areas, and that the committee make recommendations and report its findings to the House.
The coalition is very clearly referring here to all the changes we're experiencing with regard to the web giants, Canadian and Quebec content, or even the programming of various networks such as the APTN. This diversity is at risk because funding is scarce, market shares are declining and the regulations aren't consistent. We want to ensure that everyone can contribute. The motion, which was introduced over a year ago, seeks to reaffirm that one of the most effective ways to form an opinion on the issue is to look at what's happening in other countries. I've given you a written copy of the motion.
I think that you also have a copy of the email sent by Mr. Clark and Ms. Blais on behalf of the coalition, which represents a huge number of people who have a strong interest in preserving our cultural diversity. On that note, the wording of the motion is very clear and is intended to be as inclusive as possible, while taking into account the fact that the Senate is conducting a study on this issue and that we expect interim measures as soon as possible.
Here is the motion again:
That the Committee, in view of the upcoming review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act, undertake a comparative study on similar legislation concerning broadcasting and telecommunications in other jurisdictions, and on recent reforms in those areas; and that the Committee make recommendations and report its findings to the House.
I want us to vote on this issue, because the study is important. We have a few weeks ahead of us. We should dedicate those weeks to this issue, which was raised by a broad coalition of people who recently met in Toronto and Montreal.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
I will let everyone know that this has had the two-night sleep. It's been around for a little bit.
Go ahead, Mr. Long.
Saint John—Rothesay, Lib.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I move that the debate be now adjourned.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dabrusin
I was simply asking the clerk whether this motion is debatable.
It's not debatable.
NDP
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Okay.
So it's not necessary to vote on Mr. Long's motion?