Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Oct. 4th, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Committee members, I am going to call to order the fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Committee members, you do have before you the first report that was put together by the steering committee, the subcommittee. There is also a calendar attached to it. This was the proposed agenda for the next couple of weeks, at least. Committee members, hopefully you've had an opportunity to either review this or speak to your representative on the subcommittee.

Can we have consensus to adopt this as the first report of the subcommittee of this committee?

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I have a question, Chair.

I was talking to the parliamentary secretary yesterday. There has been a suggestion that we may not be able to handle all of the national leaders of aboriginal organizations in one day. This says that they will all come in on one day. So while we agreed that they come in, I am not sure that we agreed on how we were going to do it or who was going to come.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Okay, and that is noted.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

That is point three.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

I think there was still some discussion that was happening, so I want to let committee members know that we are going to move to a subcommittee on Thursday, if we have time, to try to resolve that, as well as some additional requests for appearing at the committee. For the most part, if there is anything that can be addressed on Thursday--many of you have concerns--please let's move that to Thursday.

Today we need to pass this before we can even hear from our witnesses today.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay. I am fine with that, as long as it is recognized that this is not all we discussed in the subcommittee. In the subcommittee I understood that we came to agreement that...there are a couple of things that aren't here yet. One thing is the report on land management that has been tabled and was referred to us. The topic came up, but I wasn't aware that it was being tabled and referred to us. That has to be pretty high in our order of things, since it is referred to us, so I think that should be added in there somewhere.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

As long as that doesn't need to be dealt with until Thursday....

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Okay, this is not the full first report. That is what is troubling me.

We also discussed a number of other matters, including the minister coming in on the supplementary (B) estimates and the budget, and we should slot those in the timeline. I recognize that what is here is correct, but it is only half of what we discussed and agreed to in the subcommittee. I will agree to it on condition that the rest of what we raised is going to come out in a report from Thursday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

I get a sense that you are looking for the second report that may be established on Thursday.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

This is not all that was discussed and agreed to in the subcommittee meeting. That's all I am saying. It's half of it. I don't disagree with what's here. It's just that this is only half of what I understood we agreed to.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

We can resolve that on Thursday. I'm getting that sense.

Mr. Rickford.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Further to that, and in support of it, I think the exercise right now is just for us to be able to have a process to accept the witnesses we have for today's report. We have some time left over. I think we could discuss that as the committee of the whole, and then there is a subcommittee allocation on Thursday, but I would take your point on that basis.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Ms. Bennett.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Yes, I agree with Mr. Rickford that in terms of the invitations for the Tuesday we are back, it won't be possible for the subcommittee to deliberate on that on Thursday and then bring it back to the committee to agree. Somehow this afternoon we have given the clerk some advice as to who is invited for the Tuesday we're back.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

If the committee has a desire for that, I see no reason we couldn't put some time at the tail end of this meeting. If we get to our witnesses expeditiously, maybe we will allocate some time at the tail end of this meeting to do just that.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I am fine with that, Mr. Chair, so long as the minutes show that this does not reflect the full discussion and agreement at the last subcommittee meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

The transcript will be better than minutes in that it will have everything you said on the record permanently.

Is there consensus to adopt the first report?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

That is passed.

Committee members, we do have witnesses today who will be bringing forward briefings with regard to the specific land claims. If our witnesses would proceed to the table, that would be fantastic.

We have representation from the Specific Claims Branch, and that is Ms. Dupont. Ms. Green is with the research and policy directorate of Specifics Claims Branch, and Ms. Dunlop is with the negotiation directorate, Specific Claims Branch, as well.

[Anik Dupont, Director General, Specific Claims Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Ms. Dunlop was not able to join us this morning.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Okay. Mr. McNeil, you are here on behalf of whom?

[Kevin McNeil, Senior Counsel, Specific Claims Section, Department of Justice]

I am with the Department of Justice.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Wonderful, and there you are on my list. Welcome.

Witnesses, we would like to invite you to give testimony of approximately 10 minutes. We don't want to limit your testimony; what we want today is to better understand the specific issues of specific claims.

I will now leave it open for you to begin introductory comments and your immediate testimony, and then I know there will be quite a number of questions coming at you.

Have you determined who will begin?

[Anik Dupont]

I will be the spokesperson.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Please, proceed.