Good morning, Chair, committee members, civil servants and honourable members of Parliament.
My name is Glenn Bennett. I'm currently the elected chief councillor for my community of Kitselas. The Kitselas were known as the people of the canyon. Our history is an oral history, so I hope you will remember what I say, what I share, and share the knowledge.
I feel it's important to acknowledge the team that helped me get here this morning. I have with me our chief administrative officer, Ms. Linda Morven. She hails from the Nisga'a Nation. Alongside her is a young man, Cyril Nabess. He's our director of lands and resources and also an elected council member.
We have people who have worked very closely with my community of Kitselas—Mark Stevenson. The late Mel Bevan was our chief negotiator, who negotiated for well over 30 years and looked for a fair treaty for his people. Before he passed away, he initialled off on the final offer that was presented by both Canada and B.C. In doing that, he was recommending to his people that we accept what has been offered to our community.
Back on April 10, 2025, in my community, we ratified our treaty, with 96% of our people coming out to vote and 85% voting yes. In my mind, that's a clear mandate for our people to look at implementing this treaty, which will take two to three years. We feel, as Canadians, that we can relate to the hard work needed to establish a strong foundation. I feel that is the work we are doing here.
As I said, we negotiated our treaty well over 30 years ago and ratified it on April 10, 2025. We recognize and welcome the positive intent of Bill C-10. Establishing an independent commissioner to review federal treaty implementation is a step towards greater transparency and stronger relationships between Canada and Canadian treaty nations.
We support the bill's foundation, the commissioner's independence, the ability to audit public reporting to Parliament, and access to information. These are important building blocks for accountability. However, oversight alone risks documenting issues without resolving them. Our focus is ensuring that this leads to real collaborative actions.
First, we recommend a joint response mechanism. When findings emerge, we suggest a clear, co-developed action plan within a set time frame. This ensures we move together from insight to implementation.
Second, we encourage clear commitment around information sharing. Let's ensure defined processes at all levels to avoid delays.
Third, we believe direct reporting to Parliament benefits all of us by enhancing transparency and trust.
Fourth, we ask that all Canadian treaty partners be included, reflecting our shared commitment to comprehensive inclusion.
Finally, meaningful participation requires capacity. We encourage Canada to ensure that resources are in place so Canadian treaty nations can fully engage and ensure that treaty agreements are implemented as required.
In closing, we believe BillC-10 can be a robust tool for partnerships. By ensuring action, inclusion and accountability, we can strengthen treaty implementation together, upholding the honour of the Crown.
Thank you, and I look forward to continuing the collaborative work.