Evidence of meeting #24 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was community.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Thank you, committee members, for allowing me as chair to ask some questions.
Thank you all for coming today. We appreciate your testimony. Certainly it's been helpful and adds to the different voices that we're hoping to hear as our committee continues this study. Thank you so much.
Ms. Bennett is indicating that she would like to say something.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
As I indicated on Tuesday, seeing that the motion to travel--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
You're moving your motion?
What I'd like to do is not suspend, but just give a few minutes to see our witnesses off and then we'll return and hear from Ms. Bennett. We'll want to do that before we go into a committee discussion about motions.
Thank you, committee members. I appreciate your willingness to take that moment to see our witnesses off.
Ms. Bennett, we'll turn the floor over to you.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
As I indicated on Tuesday, when the motion to travel to Attawapiskat was defeated, I decided that, seeing that this wasn't happening, we should move a motion.
I move that the committee invite Chief Theresa Spence, Co-Manager Clayton Kennedy, and members of the council of Attawapiskat First Nation, Grand Chief Stan Louttit of the Mushkegowuk Tribal Council, Third Party Manager Jaques Marion of BDO Canada, and officials from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada to appear before the committee and provide an update on the status of efforts to address the state of emergency confronting the community, no later than March 16, 2012.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just want to say that with respect to the motion I think this side of the table sees an opportunity here at some point to interview here at committee some or all of these witnesses who are contained in the motion.
We have a bit of a problem with the date that's suggested in the motion of March 16. We understand a couple of important things are happening. First of all, the community leaders and its officers are in an important exercise, with the steady influx of these homes, to ensure that as many, if not all of them, can be brought in. There's administrative, physical, and technical work supported by the band and its officers required to accomplish that.
Moreover, the band is committed to a judicial review process with respect to third-party management, a test that in seeking injunctive relief was not met some week or so ago.
For the benefit of the committee, I would like to read a press release from the nation, if you'll permit me, Mr. Chair:
The Attawapiskat First Nation has reviewed and corresponded with Minister Duncan on February 14, 2012 and have arrived at a mutual working compromise as stated by Minister Duncan in the House February 15, 2012.
That would be yesterday.
The minister and the Attawapiskat First Nation are working together and focusing on the delivery and installation of the 22 modular homes, including site preparation and installation. We are both confident that the success of this project will serve some of the health and safety issues of our membership.
Chief and Council also want to acknowledge the community members for their valuable feedback. Chief and Council wishes to commend their staff on the ground for their continuing diligence in moving the projects forward to successful completion.
Chief and Council also want to acknowledge the government for the support of the modular homes, as well as the many Canadians and organizations who have provided articles of clothing and appliances, to mention a few.
The First Nation's application for judicial review will be heard by the Federal Court on April 24.
Mr. Chair, in terms of closing comments, the sense of this is that this side will not be able to support the motion today because of the date it contains.
I guess there would be two options. We've had a high degree of cooperation today around an opposition motion debated in the House at length today and a willingness to certainly learn and understand more as a committee about some of the exercises that have been engaged in here with Attawapiskat, and we're learning a lot from other first nations. So I would encourage the member tabling this motion to consider deferring it for the time being, in light of the process they're going through, which they're committed to and which their community has asked them to stay committed to. We understand, of course, that as a practical matter this is a complex and time-consuming matter and that in fairness they are embarking on a judicial review sometime later in April.
I think it would probably benefit the committee at or after that time to consider this kind of exercise, which would otherwise demand a substantial time resource from those people who are doing very important things at this point in time.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I would like to ask the clerk whether it would be possible to hear these witnesses by Skype.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
I think that on our side the technical capability is there. The question would be whether it is on their side.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
Well, it certainly was possible when we were there. The high-speed really is high speed at Attawapiskat. I think the media was very impressed.
Is that a possibility?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
I think we can safely determine that, on our side, it would be fine. On our side, in terms of the technical capabilities, we would be able to receive a video conference.
Ms. Duncan, go ahead.
Liberal
Carolyn Bennett Liberal St. Paul's, ON
I want to know whether that would be an interpretation of my motion: that to appear before the committee either in person or via Skype is still appearing before the committee.
Conservative
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
Just to clarify, are you saying that the interpretation of “appear” would mean their physical presence or by Skype?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
That's been the interpretation for all our witnesses, or we've made that available to all witnesses.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
It's not clear to me, Mr. Chair, whether Mr. Rickford is actually amending the motion.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Okay.
Certainly we would have no objection to the chief, et al, appearing.
We were trying to recall.... We think Chief Spence was on the list of recommended witnesses at some point anyway. We still haven't been able to have our discussion on how we're going to tie together testimony and visits to communities. So that was something that I—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
May I just jump in?
We're not in camera. All the discussions on possible upcoming stuff was done in camera, so we'll be doing that as soon as we can get through this motion.
NDP
Conservative
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
I know what I can and can't do, okay?
Committees often do study tours, and it's something that we may well undertake. It may be sensible that you see some witnesses in the study tour and you don't bring them in twice, or whatever. The main thing, from my standpoint, is to make sure that the timing works. Maybe we could hear a little bit more from Dr. Bennett about why March 16.... That's what's not clear to me, about the deadline for that.
Absolutely, our members would appreciate very much being able to hear first-hand—we're all together and we can all hear the same testimony. I'm just not sure about the date and the convenience for Chief Spence and her staff, and so forth.