Evidence of meeting #5 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendments.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
I have a question for Mr. Etoka.
We submitted suggestions regarding two reserves near Val d'Or. Would it be those two reserves?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Candice Bergen
It's unfortunate, Mr. Lessard, but we won't be able to go to every location we discussed and hoped to visit, but this is probably the best plan.
Madam Folco.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I'd like some explanation of options three and four.
If I understand option three, we would go up on the Monday, visit Barrière Lake and Lac Simon, sleep over, and come back the next morning to Ottawa.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
It would make better sense to go to Barrière First Nation, sleep over, in the morning visit Lac Simon, and then come back. Then we would have more time, rather than doing it all in one day. Otherwise we would be rushing a long distance and making two visits in one day. I don't think it's doable.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Candice Bergen
I think option four is the best one, because we wouldn't be making both legs of the trip on a bus. It would give us a little more time. We would just reverse it by going up the night before, staying for a night, having a full day of visits, and then taking the bus back.
Mr. Lessard.
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
We gave the contact information to Mr. Etoka for Lac-Simon and Kitcisakik. The reason that we gave Kitcisakik was that, after checking in Lac-Barrière, we learned that there was a nation problem, a major dispute. In practical terms, Lac-Simon and Kitcisakik are around a half-hour apart, in Val d'Or. One is in the park, and the other is outside.
That was our suggestion. There had already been some contact. That is the information we provided. Is there something that needs to be changed in that regard?
Conservative
The Clerk
We'd go to a new lake he's talking about. He just gave you the name.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Candice Bergen
Okay.
So in option four we would have a slight change. We would not go to Lac Barrière; we would go to Kitcisakik.
Mr. Lessard, why would you like to go to that one instead?
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
It is currently a political reason in that there is an internal dispute within the nation. We could be caught in the crossfire—not gunfire, but debate—and that is why it makes more sense to go to the two others.
We will also find two of our concerns in those two places. One reserve is slightly better organized—not much—and the other completely lacks organization.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I would like some more information.
How long is the flight from Ottawa to Val d'Or?
Where will we stay? I imagine we would stay in Val d'Or for the night. How long is the bus ride from Val d'Or to Lac-Simon? How long does it take to get from Lac-Simon to Kitcisakik? How long does it take to get back to Ottawa from Kitcisakik?
I think we need that kind of information before we can make a decision.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
It is always a half-hour?
Does that include the flight from Ottawa to Val d'Or, Mr. Lessard?
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Going from Ottawa to Val d'Or takes as long as getting to the airport.
You are talking about flying? Fine, that is option number four.
It is not far. It goes pretty quickly. On a charter flight, we would be there in 45 minutes to an hour. From the airport to Lac-Simon, it is a half-hour, and from Lac-Simon to Kitcisakik, if memory serves, it is another half-hour or 45 minutes.
Liberal
Bloc
Yves Lessard Bloc Chambly—Borduas, QC
Do you mean if we come back by bus?
Around four or four-and-a-half hours, tops.