Human Resources Committee on May 10th, 2007

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

I just want to be clear. If I'm not mistaken, the AFN wanted to be exempted from this. To be included in this by Ms. Dhalla's amendment, it would require another amendment like the opt-out provision for Quebec, would it not?

[Shawn Tupper]

I wasn't here on the day the AFN appeared. I did understand that their position was that they would look for some arrangement to allow first nations to make their own decisions, yes.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

So we're going against that idea with this. Her amendment has basically gone against what they're asking for.

[Shawn Tupper]

I think it would be subject to interpreting the effect of adding this in against the whole bill. I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not in a great position to offer you advice on that aspect.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

Is there anyone here who is in that position?

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Do you mean anyone who will admit it?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Sorry.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

No, who can actually—

[Shawn Tupper]

You'd need an aboriginal law expert, and as far as I know, we don't have any aboriginal law experts here.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont, AB]

We have this amendment and we have 12 amendments by the NDP. I think we have all of one hour to make all these decisions before we send this back to the House. That seems rather odd to me.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Well, we'll continue.

I've got Madame Barbot. Please go ahead.

[Vivian Barbot, Bloc, Papineau, QC]

There was a word missing in the French version of the motion. The English version states:

“aboriginal peoples' organization” means an organization

In French, there is no translation for the word « means ». The French version should read « [...] signifie une Organisation des Premières Nations [...] »

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Madame Barbot, if you go to page 2 of the bill, it follows with the way the bill is being drafted, so there's some interpretation, so—

Go ahead, Ms. Chow.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I would say, further to amendment L-2, to add “first nation and government”. It's amending the Liberal amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

I'm sorry, are you proposing a subamendment to the amendment?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

That's right. It's just to add the words “first nation and government” immediately after the word “territory”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Could you read it to us and then tell us where you're inserting it? We'll make sure we have it, and I will take names on this as well.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Just so it's clear, basically the amendments that I will be proposing on the first nations are very similar to all the ones that are proposed by Liberals. It's just fine-tuning some of the words. So under clause 2 right now it would read:

“child care transfer payment” means a cash contribution

etc.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Ms. Chow, if you were going to propose a subamendment, we would have to be on Ms. Dhalla's amendment. We're dealing with Ms. Dhalla's amendment right now. If that is moved, we can—

Is this part of the two amendments that you proposed to the clerk earlier?

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Yes, that's right. It's identical.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Okay.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Would you prefer that I do it separately, or do you want me to do a subamendment? It's up to you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

If you do a subamendment, it has to be on Ms. Dhalla's amendment. That's the one we're presently working on.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I will do whichever the clerk believes is easier.