Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on April 28th, 2008

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

I thank you for your question, Monsieur Lévesque.

In terms of the heart of the issue of gender equality, I want to bring it back to my earlier comment about what colonization has done to our communities.

I'm not really qualified to speak of this, but I've heard many speeches on Mohawk women and their place in their society as being a big part of the original governance of communities. I can only speak to our issues in the north and the real desire to restore that balance between men and women, and that it come from a culturally relevant place. I do agree that self-government is a key to actually having that internalized and then taking it forth out into the world.

I think the heart of the issue really has to do with the different cultural views that western society has of their women, and how that has been forced upon our communities and how we have accepted it. What's important is that it's time for us to take the responsibility and to begin to make those changes within ourselves, so that we can restore that sense of balance. That is our responsibility. Ultimately, though, we have to look at the past and make sure that the mistakes of imposing non-native values on our first nation communities stop, and that we begin to honour ourselves, our spirits, and the laws we were given by the Creator.

Meegwetch.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Is there anyone else?

Go ahead, Mr. Dinsdale.

[Peter Dinsdale]

It is a little bit different for us. As you know, the last census showed that 54% of all aboriginal peoples reside in urban areas. The vast majority of our clients are aboriginal women and their children. For us, it is making sure that we have the appropriate programs and services available so they can fulfill their roles and take care of their families, their communities, and things of that nature.

As RoseAnne referenced, we are guests on first nations land. All of us are, frankly, including friendship centres. We are guests on first nations territories, and it is important that we honour and respect the culture of the communities in which we reside.

So it is all about respect. There won't be one gender-based analysis framework with a cultural component that everyone across the country agrees is the gold standard. In fact, it is about respect. It is respect for the local communities you're in, respect for those cultures, and accommodation in the work we do to address those things in programs and services.

So I think the most critical way of addressing that more broadly is to have fundamental respect for people and their communities, to provide the roles as the creator has provided them, and to acknowledge that we are guests in the traditional territories in which we operate.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Is there anyone else?

Mr. Clarke, you have five minutes.

[Rob Clarke, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

This question is to Deputy Grand Chief Archibald.

Being first nations myself, I am kind of curious. You brought up the MRP, matrimonial real property. In my riding, 62% of my riding is first nations or aboriginal. I met with some chiefs and councils, and we were discussing the positives and negatives of the MRP. Being a new member of Parliament, I am kind of curious about whether you have been in consultation with the Assembly of First Nations, and more specifically for my constituency, with the FSIN with regard to the MRP. If so, what types of recommendations would you suggest?

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Chair, a point of order. Are we talking about the agenda? Here is the topic. Did you want me to read it? I could help here. This is a briefing on the National Aboriginal Women's Summit. I am not sure that it entails that question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Order, please.

It is the practice in our committee to focus on the topic at hand. Having said that, I am in the habit of giving significant latitude, particularly if issues have been raised before.

I will caution you, Mr. Clarke, as a new member of the committee, that we want to stay on or close to the topic on our agenda. If there's something that has come up in the testimony today that you want to ask about, that's certainly fine. But to go beyond that into another topic area is not appropriate.

If you would like to rephrase your question....

[Rob Clarke, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

She brought up the MRP, and I was just wanting some clarification there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

All right.

[Deputy Grand Chief RoseAnne Archibald]

Your question is.... I can't comment about FSIN because I'm not aware of what's happening in your province, sir. However, we know the bill has been redrafted, and we are actually waiting on a legal analysis at the AFN, with the AFN Women's Council. I think I can comment on only the four things that are important to us.

One is that the bill will ultimately force first nations women to seek remedies in provincial courts. It's neither timely nor financially viable for many first nations women in remote communities, because there just aren't courts in some communities and sometimes courts come only twice a year. So that's one of the key issues we have with the MRP.

Next, when you consulted with first nations women, we actually recommended that we look at the first nations perspective. What are relevant traditional laws that promote equality when it comes to a marital breakdown? That perspective wasn't taken into account, because the bill as it stands has it almost as a subnote, a footnote if you will. When it comes to the division of assets on the reserve, the majority of the bill has to do with provincial and federal rules. So really, rather than recognizing first nations authority, the bill constrains how first nation rules can be made in this complicated very bureaucratic method. And there's no support and consideration for implementation.

I mentioned earlier about the state of homes in communities. There's a community called Pikangikum. I know many people around this table have heard of it. Some of the houses have no running water, no washroom facilities. So what is the value of that? How do you begin to divide up something that's so decrepit? There are a lot of issues around MRP. I could just go on and on.

But in terms of recommendations, we want to apply the gender-balanced analysis to this particular bill, and we feel that it will be helpful to look at it from that first-nation-specific lens, and that's what the AFN Women's Council is recommending.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

That concludes our questioning for today.

I have a couple of general comments, and I want to follow up on my comments a minute ago in response to Mr. Valley. Because we're done with these witnesses today, it won't be for your benefit but for all committee members.

As you know, when we have witnesses before us, we do have an agenda. Your questions and comments should be related to that agenda, and as I said, I am certainly in the habit—as I think most committee chairs are—of giving a fairly wide latitude to members in terms of how they interpret the topic on the agenda.

Second, if in the course of previous questions one of the witnesses has raised another issue and a committee member wants to pursue that further for clarification, that is acceptable.

The final point, which I did not make a few minutes ago, is that witnesses who appear before the committee have been asked to speak on a specific subject that is on our agenda, and they are neither obliged nor committed to answer questions that go beyond that.

So as I said, this is the end of our meeting for today, but I think that's just a little reminder for all of us in terms of going forward.

Mr. Albrecht, did you have a comment?

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

Mr. Chair, your point is well taken, but priority in section 3 of the report clearly did address MRP, so it's part of the report. So I think, in fairness, it was appropriate for that question to be raised today. But I take your comments.

[The Chair, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Thank you.

And to all the witnesses, thank you very much for being here today. Your input was greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

We're adjourned.