Thanks a lot, Bob. I see a few people I know, like Lorraine Whitman from the Native Women's Association.
My name is Elmer St. Pierre. I am the national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.
First of all, it's always been our tradition to offer tobacco when we exchange our views and talk in friendship.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is one of the five national indigenous organizations recognized by the Government of Canada. We represent off-reserve status and non-status, Métis and southern Inuit. CAP is also the federal voice for our provincial and territorial members. We have a long history of having to fight for recognition of our grassroots people. We've been working since 1971. We are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year.
In 2016, the CAP/Daniels decision ruled that non-status Métis are Indians under the Constitution and a federal responsibility.
A few things come to mind. The citizenship oath is a very important symbol. New Canadians should know that the treaties are as important as the Constitution itself. All Canadians should understand that fact. Symbols need to be backed up by action. Treaties are not just in the past. Many communities today don't have recognition or a land claim statement. They need action to protect their rights as indigenous people.
We cannot forget the other 93 calls to action. There are still recommendations from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples that need action. In 2018 CAP and the Government of Canada signed a political accord to work toward including our people in federal policies. Supporting this accord is also a necessary step toward reconciliation. The political accord is only one of many ways to represent the rights of our people in government policies.
A distinctions-based model is a barrier in our country to our grassroots people. Today we heard a lot of people talking about UNDRIP as well as this body here under the Citizenship Act. Unfortunately CAP has not had the opportunity to be involved in these consultations. We seem to be left out. We got invited to this meeting only in the last week. We don't know who is doing what anymore, and CAP represents our Métis people, and the Constitution does say, “Indians, Métis and Inuit”. At some point—I'm maybe getting off topic—the government has decided that CAP's grassroots people don't fall within that category. We speak for our own people—our membership, our grassroots people—right across Canada from Labrador to B.C.
Education is another big issue. The newcomers should know who we are and what we stand for, because you talk to someone and sometimes they say, “You're an Indian,” and ask if we are an East Indian. We say we're from Canada. We're one of the first peoples. We get talking, and it's really surprising.
One of our biggest problems is—I might as well say it—the racism and discrimination that CAP has to go through to try to get to these meetings. Sometimes it's a last-minute thing. Most of the time we don't even get to speak, and if we do, it's normally about half an hour or an hour before they throw it to us like, “Okay, you have a chance to speak”. That doesn't give us time to put something together.
I wish I could say that I knew more about citizenship, but if we're not consulted on it then how can we put our two cents in, more or less?