Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on June 7th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

I declare open this meeting of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development of Wednesday, June 7, 2006.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I move to amend the agenda so that we can immediately debate a motion that I sent out to all members of the committee more than 48 hours ago. It deals with the decision to be made at the next working session of the Human Rights Council. I would like us to be able to debate the motion right away and then hear from the witnesses. I would also point out that we will probably have to adjourn the meeting sooner because of the vote in the House at 5:40 p.m. I, therefore, move to amend the agenda.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Thank you, Mr. Lemay.

We do have witnesses here who want to be heard, so what is the pleasure of the committee? Do you want to deal with this motion now or at the end, after we hear from the witnesses?

Mr. Bruinooge.

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

Mr. Chair, we do have a lot of witnesses here who have come a long way to speak. I prefer to continue with the agenda as written, so as to give them the opportunity to give their deliberations and witness on the matters they have come here to talk about, instead of getting into all of our votes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Mr. Lemay.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

With all due respect to the Parliamentary Secretary, I made a motion to amend the agenda, and I ask that it be put to a vote so that we can move directly to the main motion accordingly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Okay.

Madam Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Chairman, I have no difficulty in dealing with the motion. I see the grand chief is not here yet. We might as well move forward with this to maximize our time if the discussion is not protracted on this.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Madam Crowder.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

I would agree that we should go ahead and proceed with the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Okay.

Mr. Bruinooge.

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

Mr. Chair, unfortunately the witnesses don't have a say here. It's too bad, because I know they'd likely want to proceed with their discussion. That would be my position, and I think the other members of our party would agree with that position. I would prefer that we maintain our agenda as written and proceed with the motions at the end of the meeting, as was originally suggested.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

I see consensus in the affirmative to move forward on this motion, so we will.

Members, there has been proper notice given for this motion, and you have that motion before you now. Is there any discussion?

Mr. Lemay.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I moved the motion that you have before you. I made a point of sending a French and English copy to all members of the committee. It deals with the question that will be debated in the days to come.

We are asking this committee to take a position. The motion is clear. It reads as follows:

That the Committee recommends that the government vote in favour of the United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples at the next working session of the Human Rights Council.

That the Committee adopts these recommendations in a report to the House and that the Chair table this report in the House.

That is the substance of the motion. Given that everyone has the necessary documents, we can put the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Mr. Blaney, please.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

First and foremost, I wish to thank the member for having sent us the documents. The notice for the tabling of documents is 48 hours, but we only have 24 hours to examine it. I believe that this committee does want to consider this matter and that the member's motion is of significant and of interest to this Committee.

I suggest that we take whatever time is necessary to properly study this motion because it will have an impact. It is also incumbent upon this committee to put forward structured and intelligent recommendations to the government. I had the chance to briefly go over the documents sent to us, but 24 hours is not enough time to do an exhaustive study. It is important that the committee delves seriously into the matter.

We could have more information on the motion and on the United Nations resolution. We could also invite a representative from the Canadian delegation at the UN to present Canada's position. He could explain how this resolution came about as well as the long and short of it..

I agree to studying the motion proposed by the committee member, and I suggest that in order to carry out a valid study and reach an enlightened decision, we should invite a representative from the Canada delegation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Mr. Lemay.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

With all due respect to my colleague, I am a bit surprised by the government's reaction. It has been in possession of the documents necessary for an understanding of this file, not just since last week or a couple of days ago, but since February 2006. The government has been developing this statement for the last 10 years. In our opinion, this motion in no way undermines the rights of Canadian parliamentarians. Since last December or January, presentations have been made by the Canadian government to the UN. I do not understand why the government is saying that it still wants more time.

I will not voice my suspicions, but I believe that we must show our support for this file to move ahead so that there finally be a Charter of Rights of Aboriginal Peoples or a UN declaration on the rights of Aboriginal Peoples. The sooner the better.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Madam Neville.

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be very brief.

I think it is important that we move ahead with this quickly and definitively. We know that this is coming to a vote at the United Nations in a very short period of time, I think within about 10 days. This document is a draft document. It's a culmination of many years of work by many people, by government, by representatives of indigenous peoples throughout this land, and it's a very important document. Canada has had a leadership role in developing this document, in drafting this document, and I believe it is important that we maintain the leadership rule as a champion of human rights throughout the world and that we move forward and pass Mr. Lemay's motion.

I commend Mr. Lemay for bringing it forward, and I believe we should move ahead with it quickly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Thank you.

Mr. Blaney, please.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Ms. Neville's concern is an interesting one. The resolution refers to the next working session of the Human Rights Council. I believe that it is scheduled to start in 10 days. We may perhaps be meeting before then.

I am neither for or against voting on the motion. However, I am saying that even if the decision was handed down last February, it is important that, as a committee, we must reach an enlightened decision, or that at least we should study the issue. We must hear from the representative. Within 10 days, we will have the opportunity to hear from the head of the Canadian delegation, who I am told is Mr. Wayne Lord. He may have interesting things to tell us, which may help us better understand the depth of our decision. The further we study this issue, the more our decision will be based on valid arguments.

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Thank you.

Madam Crowder.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I too want to echo the approach of my colleagues on this side of the table to this. I think a significant amount of work has been done already on this document. In terms of the language that we hear out in this country about closing the poverty gap and other issues that are confronting first nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, it would seem critical that Canada make a clear statement about its commitment. This document, as people pointed out, is a draft, but it's a recognition, and an important recognition, around human rights and indigenous issues, and I think it would be important that we.... What Mr. Lemay's motion is calling for is for us to recommend that this go before the House, and I see that this will be an opportunity for us to make a clear statement in that regard.

Could I just ask one procedural question? This motion says “that the Chair table this report in the House”. Is there a timeframe attached to this? So if this motion passes as it stands, is there a timeframe by which it has to go to the House?

[The Chair, Conservative, Colin Mayes]

Once the report is prepared for the House, then it's up to me to table that in the House, and then the minister has 60 days to respond to it.