Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 8th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

That seems to be the first order of business.

Does anybody oppose the suggestion subsequent to that, the residential schools scenario, looking at that particular agreement that is before, and soon to be hopefully signed by, cabinet? Would that be a next issue?

Rod.

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

Based on my previous statement about how I thought it would perhaps be best for us as a committee to decide what the first item of business would be, I'm not presuming that this is currently my forum to make my recommendation, but should it be, then I would say I would like to proceed with the study on education, federal standards associated with education and aboriginal communities, as our first item of business.

But putting that aside for a moment, I'm saying I think as a committee it would be best for us to put all the topics on the table and vote which one should be first and which one should be second. That seems to be the best method to approach.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

Let's go to votes on them very quickly then. Anita--

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

Mr. Chairman, I think we need a little more time. We have four minutes until the committee adjourns. I think to do it in four minutes--

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

So the next time we will have a discussion in terms of the work plan will be the week we arrive back after the House rises. The House rises for a week break and we'll come back--

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

Or we can do it on Wednesday, or am I missing something?

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

This Wednesday we are having in department people.

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

Perhaps we could compress that meeting in terms of providing at least the first portion of the meeting to discuss this and then the back half of the meeting to take some time on behalf of the....

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

I see Mr. Lemay shaking his head.

I know it could take a while, so these people come....

Go ahead, and then Tony.

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

I would like to suggest a way of proceeding here. I suggest that our clerk and researchers take a look at the lists we have, transcribe them onto a single sheet, and then we would indicate our first priority, our second priority, etc. I suggest that each member of the committee receive a copy of this sheet, that we all go and do our homework and return the sheet to the clerk. This way, we'll be able to see where we're going. Otherwise, we will spend...

For me, the issue of housing in these communities is urgent. We can't start discussing that this afternoon, because it's 5:28 p.m. Let us take all the subjects, list them on a single sheet and have it sent to us. They're all there. There won't be any others.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

You're still going to have to indicate your preferences. I don't know if I understand you to say you're leaving that to the discretion of the chair in collaboration with the clerk and the researchers to make that list? No? Then explain yourself again.

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

Let me start over. I'm asking that the clerk and researchers prepare a sheet on which all the subjects will be indicated and that they send it to each member of the committee so that each one of us can indicate our priorities, the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth. The clerk and the researchers can then compile the results.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

So you don't need the names attached of which members propose what?

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

No, no, no.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

Okay, that's fair and understood.

Mr. Martin, and then Nancy. We're coming to a close.

[Tony Martin, NDP, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

I was just going to suggest that you might want to bring this to a subcommittee meeting, where, as Mr. Albrecht has said, you can look at what the overlaps are and probably come up with a shorter list and then bring it back. If everybody agrees, fine; if not, you can go one topic at a time and vote on each.

Are you not using your subcommittee to prioritize?

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

We certainly could, and then it will come back here for discussion in terms of that anyhow. It's sometimes six or half a dozen.

Nancy, Todd, and then Anita.

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I just wanted to make sure that a calendar is included, because that always makes it easier for us to make decisions when we're actually looking at the right number of slots left for this year.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

Okay, fair enough.

If I understand what I'm hearing the committee say, we will have a melded or merged list. There is some overlap here. There are no names attached, because I think we all have a common heart to improve the situation for aboriginal people. Then we will proceed based on your prioritization.

Mr. Russell.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Chair, I just have one request in regard to the briefings we're going to get. I would like specifically to ask some departmental officials who can tell us what initiatives there are for Métis people and what the government's current policies are regarding the relationship between the federal government and Métis people. I would like someone to speak on that.

Can we request that?

[An hon. member]

The interlocutory role.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Yes, the interlocutory role.

There might be overlap. We can ask Jim about that when he gets here, or the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Maurice Vellacott]

Is that agreeable?

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

I think that would be good to have on the agenda for the briefing session.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

That's what I'm requesting.