Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to acknowledge all the committee members who are here today to listen to us and to thank you very much.
I would also like to acknowledge that we are on the Algonquin territory and thank them.
I have a scripted thing in front of me, but I'm never very good at using one, so I would like to just speak.
My ancestral name is Si’lhe-Ma’elWut. It comes from my Si’lhe-Ma’el family. I'm a part of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation now, which is located in North Vancouver along the north shore.
Tsleil-Waututh is a community on the north shore, but at one time our ancestors inhabited the whole of the north shore. We are very central to a highly urbanized region, and we are a tiny little piece of property there. We are so impacted by the human element, by industry. There are so many things that impact our well-being and the well-being of the whole of the city of Vancouver. Today we are going to be talking, therefore, about the impact assessment part of Bill C-69.
The other key component I've been noting this morning or this afternoon is that there is a lot of discussion about indigenous jurisdiction. I think that's where I will focus.
John Konovsky is here with me, and he will speak to some of the detail. He's better at it than I am.
When you think about indigenous jurisdiction, I know right away when I look at all of you here that all sorts of red flags are going to go up. You immediately are going to look at all the risks and what they are going to mean to Canada. Someone said to me that relationships are important. When I look at you people—you're the Liberal, you're the NDP, and you're the Conservative—you're here for Canada. You have to have a relationship. You don't always have to agree, but that relationship among you to run this country is important. Without each other, you cannot do it. You bring a balance.
That's how I perceive first nations and the jurisdiction that we have and, I'm going to say, that I have for my community. It's inherent. It's within us to be stewards of our land. We're here to protect it. We're here to ensure that it's there for our grandchildren down the road. There is nothing that is going to stop us from protecting it. When you.... I don't want to say “you”; I'm sorry. When things come into our territory, we have to ensure that what is brought there doesn't leave a lifelong risk that is going to extinguish our being on that territory for my children and grandchildren down the road.
I appreciate your looking at this act with the idea that the existing one is inadequate. I also want to acknowledge how important it is for all of you to get it right, how important it is for Canada.
I know he wants it all rewritten. I know that is going to be challenging. For me, every little bit of improvement along the way is all we can truly ask for. If there is improvement, if there is a true desire for reconciliation.... All these words mean nothing to me in the sense that they're words from here. It's when you start living those words that I can truly come to this table and work with you to find a way to improve all of our living and well-being, for today, tomorrow, and well into the future.
That's what Tsleil-Waututh is about. We're not about taking anything from you. We're not about making life difficult for you. We're here to help you. We're here to work with you. Without that ability to do it, we're going to fail. If we're not allowed this freedom and these rights to protect, you're going to fail, and we don't want that.
You don't have to be afraid of us. Sure, you're going to have communities, and everybody is at a different level across Canada, including your constituencies. First nations are no different. We're all at a different capacity. We live in different regions. We have different strengths and weaknesses, but in our hearts and souls, we're all the same, including you. You want to protect what we have, and I know you guys can see the damage to this global world of ours that's going on.
That is what we're here for. We're not here saying let's fight with the Liberals, let's fight with the NDP, or let's ignore the native people. It's not about that. This whole process, this document, is about the environment and how we're going to protect it and how we're going to move forward into the future.
I can honestly tell you from my perspective, I care about each and every one of you. I care about your well-being. That's who we are. We're not here to fight with you. We're not here to cause problems for you. I know it's seen that way, but you always have to look at the bigger picture. That's how I approach everything. That's why I have no idea what's in this document.
Thank you.