The whole idea of first nations independent dispute resolution mechanisms is usually used in the context of elections and governance. The argument is that if a first nation removes itself from the Indian Act, as far as elections go, and adopts its own custom code, it can adopt its own constitution. It can actually enact accountability measures. The problem with that is that in order to enforce when there is a conflict, often one of the parties has to go to Federal Court.
Look at the Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba, where there were two elected chiefs at one point. There was a problem, and the custom council wasn't empowered to actually remove the chief who was elected under the Indian Act. That wasn't in their constitution. The Federal Court said that if they were following their own procedures, this should happen. He validated the decision of that body to remove the chief and council.
The problem is they would have to go through court in all of this. The idea is that if there is some kind of independent body before you have to go to court, then it comes from the first nation community. It's independent from that community. It's given funds to do that job.
The idea I was thinking of is that instead of...looking at this, Bill C-27, if you're trying to get a disclosure, there would be some kind of body, a regional or a national dispute resolution mechanism, first nations-led, where members could go, kind of quick and easy, to find out the information.
What might be more feasible would be an ombudsperson at the local level. There are first nations now that are setting up ombudsperson offices. Siksika Nation in southern Alberta, close to where I live, worked with the University of Lethbridge, and they set up an ombudsperson office—the independent appeal process. If there were housing disputes, hiring disputes, all these kinds of things, you could go to that.
It's independent, and it avoids all this kind of litigation and costliness.
Hopefully that answers your question. I hope the committee would be able to look into that as an alternative.