Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for being here today. Perhaps a couple of clarifications are in order.
Teresa, in your speech you made at least a couple of references to this being a government bill, and I would clarify that it's a private member's bill. Moreover, this is a private member's bill that's being brought forward by a first nation member of Parliament, who, for the purposes of any and all discussions around this matter and in his day-to-day life, is subject to the conditions and the terms set out in the Indian Act. In this manner, I'm going back to my initial clarification with respect to government and private members' business.
It is available to members to advance legislation of particular interest, as it is for all members, irrespective of the political party they represent. It may be personal, it may be on behalf of a constituent or group of persons who may exist in their riding or in a region or across the country. To that extent, and as someone who has invested an entire professional career living and working in first nations communities, I am very pleased that a colleague of mine from those communities has come forward with a piece of legislation—which, I might add for your benefit, originally looked somewhat different than it now does for purposes of our discussion and debate here at committee.
Rob's work over the past two years has started a conversation about certain components of the Indian Act that are relevant to him, including the history of his family, and the community or communities that he was raised in as a young person. Michèle and Teresa, they reflect his own experiences, many of them very personal, experiences I would respectfully submit to you, that have had a profound impact on him for the purposes of bringing forward these specific clauses in his private member's bill.
For example, on the matter of wills and estates, prior to being a member of Parliament Rob spent a professional career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He accumulated a certain pension and various assets. It looked very much like something that other Canadians would accumulate. He lost a colleague on a particular evening who was fatally shot. Rob then realized that unlike the process his colleague would have to go through, he on his part would have to have his will, the transfer of his assets and legacy to his family, signed off on by the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs under the terms and conditions of the Indian Act.
On this very narrow question, Michèle, do you agree there is something wrong with that? It's really a yes or a no.