I'm going to speak on behalf of Chief Percy Joe at this time, because I feel that the first nations group has probably been the one that's been affected more by some of the discriminatory practices of years and years gone by.
I spoke to Chief Percy Joe last night—and I apologize to the committee, Mr. Chair, for not having all this information available. I was informed last Wednesday of the meeting here today. I did as much research as I could, and I also spoke to an advocate of first nations. Chief Percy Joe is the grand chief of his band, but he's also the president of the First Nations Veterans. Some of the issues that have been brought out that I'd like to bring out...and this is from a phone call last night at midnight, when I spoke to Chief Percy Joe. I really feel that the first nations issue has failed to be dealt with appropriately over the past, and it continues up to the present.
Returning aboriginal veterans from World War II and Korea were not treated the same as the counterparts they served with and fought alongside. An individual who joined the military had to enfranchise, and when some of those people came back, they were no longer Indians by the definition of Parliament. Aboriginals found in some cases that they had lost their status as Indians, and those returning to the reserve did not receive the benefits that non-aboriginals received under the land compensation act. The land given to natives was land that was already on the reserve. In other words, the land didn't belong to that person; it belonged to that band or that council.