On my earlier comments, I want to note that my colleague Daniel Blaikie, at the committee dealing with CUSMA, tried to move an amendment to include a clause in the enabling legislation that would “simply confirm the existing rights of Indigenous peoples”, which is an important step toward reconciliation.
He put it in a letter to Minister Ng, dated December 7:
“Indigenous peoples of Canada” has the meaning assigned by the definition “aboriginal peoples of Canada” in subsection 35(2) of the Constitution Act....
For greater certainty, nothing in this Act is to be construed as abrogating or derogating from the protection provided for the rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada by the recognition and affirmation of those rights in section 35....
Mr. Watson, can you comment on the need to have these rights enshrined in our international agreements?