Evidence of meeting #80 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was treaty.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chief Executive Officer, Matawa First Nations
As far as our position, first nations indigenous peoples are the only rightful owners within our treaty territories.
Bloc
Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
About two weeks ago, Mr. Desjarlais, you met with Minister Anandasangaree to express your opposition to Bill C‑53, among other things. You urged the minister to go back to the drawing board and carry out proper consultations.
What should those consultations look like?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
I think what has to happen.... Even now, you guys gave us six minutes. What has to happen is that we should be involved from the beginning. If you want to talk about reconciliation, you have to involve first nations people.
Sometimes our trust is taken advantage of as first nations people. I talked about a peace and friendship treaty. We talk about the resources, yet first nations are the poorest people in this country. It's 2023 and there are still boil water advisories, just to give an example. You have to engage first nations and actually have some of their input involved in these bills.
Bloc
Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
You said earlier that treaties should always be honoured. Otherwise, it opens the door to division.
Can you explain that, please?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
We have to start somewhere.
I'm glad that you're hearing me. Again, when the NRTAs were unilaterally done, our people were not included. That was almost 100 years ago.
First nations are part of the solution here in this country. We were never the problem. Now that section 35 is full of victories, I think we have to go back to honouring the treaty and working together, listening to what we're trying to say, and not using the AFN, because it doesn't work for all. We treaty Indians try to uphold the treaty, not just for us but for all of Canada.
We really need to be heard, and sometimes our 46 votes in Alberta are not being heard.
Bloc
Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
You also talked about the James Bay Treaty. What is the difference between the James Bay Treaty and your treaties?
Chief Executive Officer, Matawa First Nations
As far as Matawa is concerned, eight of our communities are within the James Bay Treaty No. 9. In fact, the communities signed Treaty No. 9 in 1905.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John Aldag
All right. We're out of time on this round.
We'll now go to Ms. Idlout for her six minutes of questions.
Ms. Idlout, the floor is yours.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses. Your statements are very important to us.
I have a question for both of you. If you would both answer this question, I would appreciate it.
Now, if you were to get self-government, can you go forward even without the land claims settlements...without land?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
We already made a treaty. Again, if it was upheld—look at the natural resources, the forestry, the oil and gas, the mines and the minerals—if those were paid to the first nations, we'd be more...“self-sufficient” would be the word. I don't know about self-government, because we're—
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:] I think I will repeat my question. I don't think it was clear enough.
Can you move forward with self-government or self-governance even without land?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
You cannot have a government without land.
Chief Executive Officer, Matawa First Nations
I'll repeat what he said. We cannot have self-government without land. We have to have the land, the resources and everything that is here, as we had previously from our ancestors.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:] My other question is in terms of UNDRIP, which pertains to our rights as indigenous peoples. Do the Métis fall under UNDRIP?
Greg or David, can you respond to my question, please?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
Yes, I'll take a stab at that, David. The Métis fall under Canada. The first nations fall under UNDRIP.
Chief Executive Officer, Matawa First Nations
As far as Matawa is concerned, first nations should be concerned, as well as the Inuit, in terms of UNDRIP, because we do not see it as being the right way of moving forward.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:] My last question is this: Why can't the Métis be supported by UNDRIP? Why can't their rights be under UNDRIP?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
I think it goes back to the original definition. It's the people who were here at the time of contact, the treaty peoples.
Chief Executive Officer, Matawa First Nations
First nations and Inuit people are the original inhabitants as we stated in our brief. They were the original inhabitants and landholders of this land.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John Aldag
Thank you.
Colleagues, we're at the end of one round. Normally, we'd finish at 5:30. Because of our late start, we do have resources until 6 p.m. We could do part of the second round. That's five minutes, five minutes, two and a half minutes, and two and a half minutes.
Does the committee want to do one more round? Okay.
We'll go to our Conservatives and Mr. Viersen for five minutes.
October 31st, 2023 / 5:30 p.m.
Conservative
Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here. I'm going to go to Mr. Desjarlais first.
What do you think this bill puts in place? It's not necessarily clear to me. There seems to be several levels of government. You have a treaty partner. On the indigenous side, you have the AFN, and then you may have something down to, say, a community association.
The Government of Canada wants to enter into a relationship with a number of bodies across the country here. Where would you peg Bill C-53, placing the Métis Nation of Alberta, for example, in that hierarchy of self-government?
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
I just want to say that it's going to muddy the waters more in Alberta. If treaty members live off reserve, what do they fall under? If the Métis people live off the settlements, you're creating the Métis nation. I think you're asking me what they fall under. I guess it would be a fourth level of government.
Conservative
Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB
I'm not sure if it was you or David who mentioned the AFN. Would this bill be creating a Métis AFN idea? Would that be your understanding of the bill? Then, I guess, there are all the interesting things around the AFN's role in governance in Canada as well.
Do you want to comment on that a bit, Greg?