It is a pleasure to be able to finally speak to the issue. There is such concern from the party for aboriginal people what can I say? It is from the same party that thinks we are giving away large tracts of land to the aboriginal people and that we are giving away large amounts of money to the aboriginal people. All of a sudden there is all this concern for the poor aboriginal people. We have to be consistent when we are talking about whether we are supporting aboriginal people or whether we are against the process they are trying to go through.
Before I comment on the amendment I received a letter attached to the Toronto Sun about the member from the Reform Party apologizing for depicting us as spoiled or denying depicting us as spoiled. The letter quite clearly follows the lines of the attitude of the Reform Party. It says: ``Hey, Jack, if it is any consolation we also think our natives are a bunch of lazy, drunken layabouts who have been fleecing we hardworking fed up taxpayers for too long. Cut all the federal money they get and make them, the whole lot of them, work for their keep. Let's see if they can make it on their own, but I doubt it''.
This letter shows the ignorance of some Canadian people. Who do they think the land came from? Whose land does this person think it is? That letter is ridiculous. It basically follows the lines of the remarks made in the House by a member of the Reform Party.
The Reform's amendment would delete subclauses 5(2) and (3). Subclause 5(1) brings into effect the self-government agreements of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the First Nation of Nacho Hyak Dun, the Teslin Tlingit Council, and the Vuntut Gwitch'in First Nation on the day this act comes into force. That is subclause (1).
Subclause (2), which they would delete, provides that the remaining 10 First Nations self-government agreements may be brought into effect by order in council.
Subclause (3), another one they would delete, ensures that the effective date of a self-government agreement will be published in the Canada Gazette .
The Reform's amendment would delete subclauses (2) and (3) of clause 5 so that each of the remaining 10 First Nations self-government agreements would have to be brought into effect by other acts of Parliament. The proposed amendment would also move the requirement by the minister to publish the effective date of these self-government agreements.
Motion No. 1 is unacceptable because, one, the process of bringing the subsequent 10 self government agreements into effect should be the same as the process used to bring the land claims agreement into effect. This clause mirrors a clause in Bill C-33. The amendment would create inconsistent processes and
would defeat the intention in the land claims agreement to allow for orders in council to bring future agreements into effect.
Two, clause 5 does not prevent Parliament from reviewing any future agreements.
Three, this bill establishes the parameters of the subsequent 10 self-government agreements. These parameters cannot be exceeded in the negotiation of the subsequent 10 self-government agreements.
For all the reasons I just cited, the government finds Motion no. 1 unacceptable.