Evidence of meeting #28 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was decision.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I wanted to follow up on the line of questioning Monsieur Lemay started around the membership lists. I think there is some confusion out there.
I'm understanding you to say that where there is membership code in place, this particular amendment doesn't apply unless it's part of their membership code.
Senior Counsel, Operations and Programs Section, Department of Justice
That's correct. The amendment will include rules mainly for registration but also for membership. The goal is to disrupt the membership as little as possible.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
It's on page 8. You've indicated that 230 bands have their own membership codes. Can you tell me what the difference is between what the government considers status in those bands and the membership numbers? Do you have that information? My understanding is that a band could have people they designated as members, but because the government doesn't recognize the status, there's not funding at the same level, right? That government only funds based on who they recognize as status, not who the band recognizes as members.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's true. To your question, do we know what the membership codes are. We know some of them.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Actually—I'm sorry—my question wasn't, do you know what the membership codes are? It was, do you have the difference in numbers between the number of people bands recognize as members under their codes and what the government recognizes as registered status people in that same band?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
No, we wouldn't have that; we just have the information that's in the registry.
NDP
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes. Just to explain a bit further, at the time that a membership code is adopted by a first nation, we would know how many people they have as registered Indians, and so we could look at the membership code and decide how many people are likely to become members—we couldn't be certain. As time goes on and moves further away from the day that the membership code was adopted by the first nation, there's a chance that the difference would become wider.
We don't collect information; it's the first nation's membership code.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Still on page 8, you've indicated that your numbers could indicate an increase of about 3% to 5% in the existing status population. I want to come back to my comment around housing and, in this document, the comment that there wasn't a significant impact—that's in 1985. If there is a projected 3% to 5% increase, would that mean a 3% to 5% increase in the budget for status? Is that part of your impact analysis?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
We are looking at a range of costing possibilities and would be presenting to the government various options about how they might like to implement this. All those discussions have yet to happen. Certainly there would be some careful decisions about what should be put in the spending estimates as a result of this decision.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I touched on the need of an overhaul, and in your presentation you mentioned that.... It sounds as though there's no current firm plan in place to look at the overhaul. Is this overhaul on the agenda at all? You and I have had the discussion before about the second-generation cut-off and the impact it's having on communities, and there are any number of other issues. Thinking about an overhaul and putting a plan in place are two different things. Is it on the agenda at all?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It really depends on whether a consensus were to emerge about how it could possibly be done. I think I mentioned in my opening statements that there would be various differing opinions about the impact of this, and I think we're a way off yet from reaching a point where it becomes important and on everybody's agenda.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Concerning the regional engagements, I think you mentioned a number—15 roughly—
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes. We've done five, and there are more planned.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
How is the information...? Is it by invitation, or is there a broad invitation that goes out to have people attend?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
We're in touch with regional aboriginal organizations; the First Nations Summit in British Columbia, as an example. Through our regional offices, we have been in contact with those organizations. Who they invite to the sessions is really their own decision.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
So it's the regional aboriginal organizations that are doing the invitations to the sessions?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes.
