Thank you very much for inviting me to participate today.
The restitution of land is a significant and necessary part of reconciliation. This is a pathway toward inclusion for indigenous people and away from a potential outcome of extinguishment. Indigenous people have a strong connection to the land. It defines indigenous peoples in Canada.
According to a recent study released by the Environics Institute, 81% of Canadians see inadequate indigenous control over their lands and resources as a barrier to reconciliation. More and more Canadians are seeing the need for indigenous communities to have more jurisdiction over their traditional territories as stewards of the land.
It should be noted that Canada sees reconciliation as part of its action plan for the implementation of UNDRIP. However, we need to understand that the transfer of land alone will not bring improvements to our communities. Canada must be prepared to invest resources to develop indigenous-led responses to managing our traditional territories. We need to build capacity in our communities to properly manage increased indigenous jurisdiction over our traditional territories.
The significant opportunity Canada has before it in the extraction of critical minerals will be facilitated by engaging with indigenous communities and recognizing they have economic, environmental and governance interests that need to be included in decisions affecting their traditional territories. The public service needs to facilitate this capacity building with resources to help with this transfer towards co-development with indigenous communities.
I often speak to FMB staff and ask them to imagine in their minds a young girl growing up on a northern rural community reserve. How does what we do improve her life and help her fulfill her dreams and goals, and the dreams and goals of her community? This is our opportunity to do some of that. I think that's the vision we have to keep in mind as we consider these matters. You can't develop healthy, sustainable indigenous communities in keeping with UNDRIP unless you have land and jurisdiction over it. You need to be recognized as a government with the appropriate powers and fiscal capacity.
An expedited ATR process needs to become a reality, not a consideration. First nations increasingly look to expand their communities in order to respond to growing populations and new economic opportunities. Irregular boundaries, such as the one I experienced in Attawapiskat, can mean a situation where one home may be on reserve and, in the same space, on the other side, it is not. This is simply out of [Technical difficulty—Editor]. Many first nations communities are out of land and not able to construct homes to meet the needs of their communities.
The need to consider economic opportunities is important. Reconciliation must mean helping communities with economic opportunities in order to support the creation of healthy communities through economic activities in their traditional territories. We should not be afraid of “land back” as a concept. You should see it as a way for communities to overcome poverty and support the ability of the Canadian economy to be competitive on the international stage.
Thank you.