Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on June 16th, 2026

[Lori Idlout, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

I'm asking both. I think that it would be great to hear that there would be some celebration, and I also want to understand whether there would be anyone who would oppose this bill.

[Paul Tan]

We received overwhelming approval, with around 85% voting yes to this bill. Like every election and any ratification, there will always be individuals who don't want something, but we received overwhelming majority support.

They've looked forward to having this self-governing agreement since.... It was supposed to be 2021 for ratification, but things got delayed due to various reasons. There is an expectation of a big celebration, and we already had a pre-celebration last July. I imagine the community and its citizens will want another celebration once this bill is passed, and we look forward to inviting you all.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you.

Mrs. Gill, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Hodgson, Mr. Tan, thank you for appearing before the committee today.

As you mentioned at the very beginning, you're in favour of the bill being passed quickly.

Ms. Hodgson, you mentioned several advantages of the bill's quick passage. It's clear that more than 33 years of work have gone into what we are talking about today. We could even say more.

First, what does the bill's quick passage really mean for the people of your nation? Second, what would be the disadvantages if we delayed passing the bill any longer?

[Paul Tan]

The significance of adopting this bill and the passage of this bill is that it creates stability and certainty going forward after having the economic centrepiece of this community shut down, and it provides certainty on transitioning. Given the fact that we are moving towards the transition process, if we delay further, as President Hodgson has mentioned, it will create significant uncertainty for those who are expecting self-government, which should have happened four or five years ago. It creates not only disappointment but also a lack of trust in the process to creating one. That's the con of it.

The positive of it, more so, is that the adoption and passage of Bill C-27 not only allows the stabilization of moving forward with a functioning government but also ensures that for the next centrepiece of consultation for the highway, the EA process for the pipelines or any other regulatory process, the certainty to voice our support or our concerns, versus being in the transitional process. Especially if this bill were not passed, we would be questioning what our identity is. Are we a self-government, or are we still a not-for-profit? By delaying further, it would create uncertainty for our citizens. It would create uncertainty for our partners in the industry, and it would create uncertainty in our engagement with the territorial government and, to a certain extent, with the federal government as well.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

I know that we've talked a lot about the issue of certainty for development, the economy, and trust in the process, of course. As for the populations, I believe Ms. Hodgson mentioned the issue of identity. There's the issue of deciding for oneself what is highlighted and what is put forward. We're talking about self-government.

Could you tell us a little more about the benefits for your nation?

[Paul Tan]

Part of self-government is creating some sort of identity. Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę is where the oil is at and the people of it. This creates an identity and preserves what the citizens have tried to call themselves as such. Having this agreement not only affirms what they have been calling themselves since time immemorial but, in the current context, also reaffirms their identity. We all, as citizens of Canada, recognize indigenous identity. This bill would reaffirm who they are in the context of the indigenous identity.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan, QC]

I have one last question for you, Ms. Hodgson or Mr. Tan.

Ms. Hodgson, you mentioned the issue of ownership. I think you wanted to address unfounded fears or ideas about the very nature of the treaty, but I don't want to put words in your mouth, of course.

Could you talk briefly about the subject?

[Paul Tan]

If I understand the question correctly, this agreement does not add any aboriginal titles other than what the land claim already provides. We encourage and, in fact, we want to preserve private property rights. We want to ensure that private property rights are respected and that our aboriginal title under the land claim is also equally respected. This bill does not expand what the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę already have. The land claim provides that, and we're happy with that provision under the land claim.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

Thank you very much.

Next, we go to the second round.

For five minutes, we have MP Zimmer.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, President Hodgson and Paul Tan for appearing at committee today.

You're probably aware of an announcement that was recently made. There has been a recent 30 by 30 announcement in the Northwest Territories that essentially puts a fence around 30% of the Northwest Territories. Perhaps it sounds good turning 30% of Northwest Territories into a park if you live in Vancouver or Toronto, but as you know, the economy is struggling in the Northwest Territories. The last mine that's still operational is about to close at the end of 2026 and, really, economic development in the Northwest Territories has stalled. We have heard from many first nations in this very committee that economic reconciliation is key to indigenous communities flourishing, whether it's in B.C., the Northwest Territories or anywhere.

Are you seeking this agreement to close down the area to resource development or to help open it up for development?

[Paul Tan]

Historically as an organization, we want to ensure that exploration of resources is the foundation of indigenous economic sovereignty. We want to make sure that the process is understood. We want to ensure that a voice to support the exploration and economic development is established that respects the local community. We have actively engaged and actively promoted economic development through exploration, and we will continue to do so.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

President Hodgson, can you speak to that? I heard you say earlier that generating economic opportunities was part of your goal. Maybe you can explain to the committee what some of your hopes and dreams are for your community, economic development-wise, if this agreement is put in place.

[Sherry Hodgson]

Currently, some of the things that I would like to see are continued opportunities for our citizens. Some of our citizens are working in the businesses within the community and without.

We also, as part of our organization, work together with two other organizations in the area that continually provide and negotiate with organizations that want to come into our areas within our district. The negotiating process provides for those opportunities to be expanded upon, such as the mining and the different things that are being explored at this time in the Sahtu area—specifically, in the Tulita and Norman Wells district areas.

My idea is to hopefully work towards having that process work well within the regulatory process so that they can move forward in a direction for development that is positive for our citizens.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

It just so happens that this committee is doing an affordability study in the north about food affordability, housing and other things. Key to affordability is having economic development or jobs that come around, so even if that food is a bit more expensive—as we know it is in the territories, especially the further you get out of Yellowknife—at least you have an opportunity to have a wage that helps pay for that extra cost of milk and other foods.

Maybe you can explain how much previous economic development has meant to the community in the past, and even speak to some of those opportunities. You spoke in a general sense, but are companies lining up to talk to you about how, once this agreement is signed, they're ready to go on the other side?

Affordability and jobs are key, but maybe there are some key industries that are knocking at your door, even now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

You're probably going to have to put that writing, because we have 10 seconds. Perhaps it will come up in other questioning. You can send the answer to us in writing about the opportunities as well.

Next, for five minutes, we have Jaime.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, President and Mr. Tan.

I know five minutes isn't really a long time to go over the history of how this legislation and how this agreement has come to be. Can you take us back to the first steps, when your nation's communities decided it was important to pursue a self-government agreement as opposed to what's currently in place, and why you believe this would be good for the nation as a whole?

If you can give me some details about the journey to get here, that would be great.

[Sherry Hodgson]

The Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement was signed in 1993. Chapter 5 of that agreement is the self-government chapter. In 2007, the president and the board of the day, after 13 years of having the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, decided that it was time to take that step, so they moved on the framework agreement, which brought them to the process of the next couple of decades of negotiating.

We have had continuity in place with the elected presidents of the day, who continued to work towards the ratification that happened in March 2025. During that time, it was a lot of working together with our group, our negotiations group, and some of the change that happened in there, as well as within the federal and territorial systems. It got us to the ratification and where we are today. There were some hiccups along the way, of course, with different things that happened in the world that made the process a little slower, but we are where we are today.

We're looking forward to having this passed so that our citizens can be reassured that the work that has been done over the last couple of decades is at a point where they can start working on next steps that will work well for the community and for the benefit of the citizenship.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, NS]

Okay. Thank you.

Just picking up on some of the conversation in the room, you're absolutely happy with the way this legislation is written and you need no changes. We can go through it line by line in an efficient and speedy process, get this through the House and get to the celebration.

[Sherry Hodgson]

I have no changes. We're waiting for the celebrations next.

[Voices]

Hear, hear!

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, NS]

For all the other communities that are looking at this process and saying, “Wow, it's great that they're getting this done”, what best practices would you recommend for other nations wanting to go down this route with our government?

What are two or three key things that you think we should be sharing with other nations going down this route as well?

[Paul Tan]

If I may, I'll answer that.

From our experience, and in working with other communities, one of the experiences we've often shared in our regional meetings is about being open-minded to conversations. In most of our negotiations, in appreciation of the federal team, we were open-minded to understanding where Canada was coming from as a policy position while advocating for ours. I think that's the key part. It's the trust and faith that all three parties—federal, territorial and us—want this agreement. We want to work together in establishing a self-government agreement that works for our community, especially given the fact that each community has different needs.

Working with the federal system to establish an agreement for the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę was a process of not only communicating but also understanding the constraints that each party brought to the table. That's what we have shared in terms of best practices.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish, NS]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I have no further questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Terry Sheehan]

You're out of time, so that's great.

We will go to MP Gill for the last question.

You have two and a half minutes.