Evidence of meeting #35 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was negotiations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
The motioner has suggested that we change the wording from “every six weeks” to “every two months”.
Madam Karetak-Lindell, please.
Liberal
Nancy Karetak-Lindell Liberal Nunavut, NU
I have some difficulty with the motion because of a couple of things. First of all, there are many other situations in the country. I haven't heard a response to the Berger report yet either. It's in a way picking out the ones that know how to get hold of aboriginal affairs committee members. So it's being unfair to the ones who are patiently waiting for a resolution to their issues.
We can come up with easily thirty other groups in the country that are waiting just as well as these three mentioned. That's not trying to put these three situations as any more or less than the other groups, I'm just trying to figure out how we can be fair to all the different groups that are waiting for some resolution.
We had some delegations from Manitoba who came to us talking about four situations in that province. I've got in Nunavut situations that are being worked through. I'm sure there are some in Labrador, there are some.... We just heard in B.C. I just don't know how we can focus on just these three and not focus on all the others. I know we need to be following up.
Secondly, every member has the ability to ask for briefings on specific issues from the Department of Indian Affairs. I've always been very impressed that if I phone them and tell them I want to get a briefing on a specific issue, as to where it's at, they respond. We have that option, as does every single member of Parliament, and if we want to get specific status reports, we can.
I don't want to be unfair to these three groups, but in doing so I'm feeling that we're being unfair to all the other groups in this country. So I have difficulty with supporting the motion only out of fairness to all the other groups that have not made presentations before us, because it's very difficult to get the opportunity to be selected to appear before the committee on their specific issues. I'll leave it at that.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
I understand what Ms. Karetak-Lindell is saying. For my part, I hope that our work is not pointless. If people from a community take the time to ask us to hear from them and we do that, we take the trouble to hear from them, I think—and I respectfully submit—that it is up to us to follow up on what is happening.
Indeed, there are probably other communities and other files that are evolving. The proof is that we have been told that 47 treaty tables in British Columbia are holding discussions and that there are at least three or four of these tables in other places.
For me, that is not it. People in Pikangikum, Kashechewan, Kitcisakik and probably one or two other places went to the trouble of apprising us of their situations. I simply want an update on these files that we have dealt with and on which we have heard witnesses. I am not asking for anything more than that, but it is important for the people.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
I think it's important that what you've said was from witnesses who have been here, because as Madam Karetak-Lindell has pointed out, there are a lot of issues out there. But maybe we should look for responses from the witnesses. The list that Madam Crowder gave us were both witnesses who clearly want to ask the department for answers, and maybe the situation in Pikangikum is something because that actually came to this committee.
So we should stick with presentations from the committee for which we look for responses from the department. Would that be agreeable?
We could do that, Mr. Lemay, rather than your motion. After we have those witnesses I would just ask the committee that if you have those kinds of questions, then maybe you need to pass a motion and ask the parliamentary secretary for a response to them in the ensuing meeting so you can get that information. To me, that's the purpose of the parliamentary secretary being here. No? I know he's not here right now, but that's something.
The way the motion reads now is:
That the Committee receive a report from officiais at the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, every six weeks, on the situation in Pikangikum, Kashechewan and Kitcisakik.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Could we ask for a report, an update on these three situations, and then determine if any more are required?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
We're getting away from what Madam Karetak-Lindell brought up, but if the committee wants to vote on this, on these three communities, then after that, if you have questions on issues brought forward by witnesses, I think that would be something of merit on which the committee could get a report out.
Madam Karetak-Lindell.
Liberal
Nancy Karetak-Lindell Liberal Nunavut, NU
I have a technical question. I don't recall hearing witnesses before us on Kitcisakik--
Conservative
Liberal
Nancy Karetak-Lindell Liberal Nunavut, NU
I don't recall hearing witnesses on the last two places. We heard them in the media, but not necessarily before the committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
Then don't vote for this, or else amend the motion. You can amend it by deleting the last two. I have no problem with that.
Liberal
Gary Merasty Liberal Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Maybe I'll make an amendment to the motion--and then we can rip it apart--based on what my colleague Ms. Neville has just said.
We could ask for a report, period, of these communities, and just the once. Then if at that point we're not satisfied, we can make another request for another report.
Liberal
Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Recognizing that two have not been before the committee.
Liberal
Gary Merasty Liberal Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Okay.
So that's my amendment, that the report be made in six weeks--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Colin Mayes
The amendment put forward is that the committee receive a report from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development on the situation in the three communities listed.
Conservative
Liberal
Gary Merasty Liberal Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
That the committee receive a report from officials at the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, in two months, on the situation in PKK.
