Thank you, Minister, for coming in today.
I'd like to play a little scenario before you from my past experience. I lived and worked on reserves and was in the RCMP. We had to deal with a lot of the Indian Act, especially in regard to band elections.
Ahtahkakoop is going through some major problems right now. For one, it was at one time under custom, but they didn't have the problem of elections; basically theirs was a template for one of the best elections in place. Lo and behold, what happens? A new administration comes in and we're hearing the first nations leadership using the Indian Act to basically help themselves get elected and keep their powers. They are manipulating the Indian Act in a way that helps them get elected from election to election to election.
Some of the things I've seen in the past include voter fraud, where individuals are paid off and there is basically no recourse for the government to suspend the election. Another thing is when the chief and council elect relatives to be the returning officers. I have a hard time with that.
It gets very frustrating. The band membership.... We're listening to the elected leadership making these changes but we're not hearing from the grassroots. That's what I get really frustrated about.
What we're looking at now is a new opt-in piece of legislation where it has to go to the grassroots members...when the grassroots members bring it forth. I hear the opposition criticize it but what they're really doing is trying to protect the status quo and protect their leadership because they feel that's where the votes are. It's not. It's at the grassroots level, where they need to have proper leadership and representation.
That's what I get really frustrated about.
Having been in the RCMP, having to take ballot boxes, having to keep them for two years locked up in our detachment exhibit lockers waiting for the appeals, for the results to be reviewed by the department...something has to be done.
The leadership protects this whole empire, and that's where it has to go back to the grassroots.
As you know, Minister, I get really frustrated with this whole thing. Some people want to protect the status quo, and the Liberals do it very well, but they don't have a clue. As we all know, the government has a constitutional duty to consult with aboriginals and first nations and the membership. Basically we have to protect the membership.
One of the questions I have is, what was the driving force for this legislation at its inception?