Evidence of meeting #11 for Natural Resources in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was forestry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Thank you, Mr. Simard. It's right on time.
Mr. Cannings, last but definitely not least, you have two and a half minutes.
2:40 p.m.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Thank you, and I'd just like to finish at maybe a higher elevation.
We've been talking a lot in the last Parliament in Ottawa, and in this one, about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That legislation tried to move through previously. It was blocked in the Senate. However, British Columbia has passed the UNDRIP law, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
I'm wondering, Mr. Beck, if you might want to comment on your feelings on how that might affect indigenous forestry over the long term.
February 5th, 2021 / 2:40 p.m.
Operations Manager, Capacity Forest Management Ltd.
Yes. The recent legislation of the UNDRIP in the British Columbia provincial Parliament has created a better avenue for first nations to garner forest tenure. It's allowing us to be at the table with government provincially to voice the concerns of first nations, based on the Constitution Act, section 35, and the royal proclamation is allowing them to have more rights to their unceded territory and to establish more forest businesses and more management of their land base.
2:40 p.m.
NDP
2:40 p.m.
Indigenous Relations, As an Individual
Sure. I think it's apparent that when the local communities own the tenure, they spend it within their region usually, whereas some of the bigger licencees have a lot of fibre but are going overseas and investing and not necessarily recycling that money in our economy.
I know that McLeod Lake Indian Band spends a significant amount of money to buy harvesting equipment, to purchase locally in lots of areas, so they're giving back to the economy. I think that's where the real benefit comes from. It's from the local indigenous peoples being able to have their own tenure within their areas. It's a significant benefit.
Then when they partner with others, maybe they sell that or they develop a facility that can provide opportunities. It's a win-win for everyone.
2:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Thanks, Mr. Cannings. We're right on time.
That is all the time we have today for our witnesses.
I'd like to thank Mr. Beck and Mr. Orr for coming today and providing valuable information. You are our last two witnesses, in fact, on this study, so we're very grateful to you.
Again, thank you for your patience at the beginning of the meeting. You got to see some of the inner workings of Parliament and how the process works. Perhaps another day you can share with us your take-away on that, but I just want to say thank you for listening to that and for being here today.
With that note, I will suspend the meeting. Then everybody can sign back on and we can continue with committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]