Evidence of meeting #141 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
This is what they suggested. We said it works for us, and we threw it in.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Yes. These two are just talking. That's not debate. If the chair doesn't recognize it, it doesn't exist.
Go ahead.
Director General, Crime Prevention, Corrections and Criminal Justice Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
When you talk about a lengthy definition, are you referring to “indigenous community”?
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Yes. On the definition of “indigenous community”, Mr. Motz is correct that it was put forward by the Native Women's Association of Canada. We have put forward a definition that's much shorter. I know you can't speak to that, because we're not there yet, but I'm just wondering if you can comment on any issues that might arrive from being as prescriptive as this definition is.
Director General, Crime Prevention, Corrections and Criminal Justice Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
I think the prescriptiveness of it means that some indigenous leadership groups may not fall within this definition. It would limit which groups could be part of an indigenous community. Recognizing that Bill C-83 actually refers to indigenous “organization” rather than indigenous “community”, that definition wouldn't apply to what we have: indigenous organization.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
I would like to respond to the question that was asked earlier about the two amendments, the Conservative and the NDP.
I want to clarify that for the one we put forward, we actually had extensive discussions with the native association for Canada and also the aboriginal legal society. There was a great amount of discussion. The amendment that we proposed, which will be up next, was seen as a bit more fulsome.
Conservative
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
That's me. Let's see if I get it right this time.
I move to amend Bill C-83 in clause 23 by replacing lines 6 to 10 on page 11 with the following:
lndigenous community means an organization, a community, a band, a tribal council, a nation or any other group with a predominantly Indigenous leadership.
I further move to amend it by adding after line 14 on page 11 the following:
predominantly lndigenous leadership in relation to a group, means a group—the majority of whose board of directors are First Nation or non-status First Nation, whether residing on reserve land or not, Métis or Inuit—that advocates for culturally appropriate and community-based alternatives to confinement for Indigenous inmates.
As I hope everyone in this room appreciates deeply, this is important terminology to have moving forward.
Thank you.
Liberal
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
It's not the first time that's happened.
Chair, I'm going to ask if we could suspend for a couple of minutes. I'd like to confer with my colleagues before we move forward on this.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Now, before I do that, please note that a vote on NDP-15 applies to consequential NDP-18 and NDP-19. If adopted, PV-30, PV-33 and PV-36 cannot be moved. This is just so that we all know what we're talking about.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
That should motivate you guys over there if we all—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay, before I suspend.... It's now 6:20. By the time we return it will be 6:25. Shall I instruct the clerk to order food—yes, no, or maybe?
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Can I ask a question first? What is the extension—
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
That's what I was going to ask. If we're going to be done in half an hour, there is no sense ordering supper.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
I said if it's half an hour until supper gets here, then why order supper?