Thank you, Chair.
My understanding is that, because I'm subbing for Mr. Melillo today, it's my responsibility and privilege to move his potential amendment. On his behalf, I would like to move CPC-6, that Bill C-61, in clause 22, be amended by replacing line 24 on page 13 with the following:
subsection (1), and any such regulations must be co-developed with that body.
Chair, you're right. I am a visitor today, but I have some history on this committee as most people are aware. I have just a couple of comments in support of this amendment on behalf of Mr. Melillo. Basically, this amendment would ensure that these regulations and whatnot are truly co-developed. There have been a number of other amendments earlier in the process on a number of other sections of the bill with similar amendments made, and I think they have been supported for the most part. We're going to ask that the committee members support this amendment to ensure that we really do get legislation and regulations that are truly co-developed.
I don't know whether I'd call myself a newcomer or an oldcomer coming back to the committee, but it's interesting to me that in preparing for this there's been a lot of language around co-development and how this bill was co-developed with nations across the country, with organizations representing nations across the country. However, when I look at this, there are 130-plus amendments being proposed. A number of them have actually come from individual nations, from regional organizations representing nations, even from the AFN.
I guess my challenge would be in the drafting of this legislation. If it was truly co-developed, why do we have 100-plus amendments being brought forward and a number of them by individual nations and by organizations representing regional organizations, or the national organization, the AFN? I think it stands to reason that we support the idea of adding language to make this truly co-developed, to make sure that the individual nations that are impacted by this legislation have a say in the process and in the regulations that impact them. I think that's the purpose of this amendment as I see it.
I will leave it at that, but I just ask for member support in making this legislation truly co-developed.