As a point of law, Mr. Speaker, local municipalities are creatures of the province. However, in the spirit of these negotiations, because municipalities are concerned about zoning where they abut aboriginal lands and economic development where it affects both the municipalities and the First Nations, I put forward, as a statement not as a policy, that where possible municipalities should be invited in an open and transparent mode so they will know exactly what is happening, and they will know exactly where they fit into the mosaic. Generally this has been accepted by many of the mayors I have talked to across the country.
In the House of Commons on February 16th, 1994. See this statement in context.