Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on June 15th, 2017

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Philippe Méla]

It was submitted to me this morning, just as I arrived at the meeting.

I indicated to your assistant that it should have been submitted officially to the clerk of the committee, as the process is set out. We don't have a copy with us, so if we could have that we could make copies to distribute to the members.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Can I just explain it?

[The Clerk]

There's still a requirement to have a written copy.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Should we have a short suspension while the copy is being made?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Madam Chair, maybe we should discuss the other matters while this is being copied.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

That seems—

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

We could come back to clause 10.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

My proposed amendments to clause 10 and 11 are very simple, in line with the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Quebec Native Women Association. Perhaps we can come back to them sometime later.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Agreed. We can come back to it.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

To clauses 10 and 11.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Yes.

(Clauses 10 and 11 allowed to stand)

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

So we'll come back to those.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Perfect.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

MP Anandasangaree.

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

If Mr. Saganash needs copies made, we can ask someone to get that done.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Okay.

(Clauses 12 to 15 inclusive agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

We've now come to the point where we need to study the two proposed amendments. We'll suspend for a couple of minutes while we get copies of them.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

I'm going to ask everyone to come back and take their appropriate seats, and that we move forward fairly quickly.

This meeting is scheduled to adjourn in 26 minutes. We have more business to address, so let's please proceed.

I understand that the amendments are being distributed.

On the speakers list I have the mover, MP Saganash.

(On clause 10)

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Madam Speaker, as I said briefly earlier, this was a major concern and preoccupation that was expressed particularly by the Native Women's Association of Canada, the Quebec Native Women as well, and it is related to the no-liability clause that's provided for under proposed clause 10.

I think we need to seriously consider and acknowledge the concern that was expressed by the Native Women's Association, and in fact on behalf of all indigenous women in this country.

I can understand that there will be no liability for band councils and their employees who rejected membership requests for status. That's okay, but in the case of the crown that is the part that caused major concern for indigenous women in this country. That's why, with this amendment, I would take out the crown and its employees and agents from that no liability. It's as simple as that. That's very straightforward, so there it is.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Okay.

Is there any further discussion?

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings]

(Clause 10 agreed to)

(On clause 11)

MP Saganash, you have an amendment for clause 11.

[Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

We're getting copies.

It's very simple. Let me just go right into that discussion and you'll understand very well the intent of that amendment.

Proposed subsection 11(2) talks about:

The Minister, the First Nations and the other interested parties must, during the consultations, consider the impact of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and, if applicable, of the Canadian Human Rights Act, in regard to those issues.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I have a point of order, Madam Chair.

Can we talk about amendments before we have amendments tabled?

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Can we talk about the amendment? We did indicate that we would like to have the amendment in written copy.

The rule indicates that the amendment must be provided to the chair in written copy. I see that I have a scripted, written copy, which we will accept.

Is it on accepting this amendment?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

No, that's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, MaryAnn Mihychuk]

Fine.

The amendment that I have before me in written copy, which in my opinion complies with the rule, is “that Bill S-3, in clause 11, be amended to include the words 'and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' on page 8, after the word 'freedoms'”.

That is the amendment, and I thank you for the copy.

Is there any discussion?

MP Saganash.