Mr. Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to speak in support of the motion standing in the name of the hon. member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake.
The motion reads as follows: That, in the opinion of this House, the government should consider the advisability of establishing a new, independent aboriginal land claims commission, as recommended in the 1994-95 annual report of the Indian Claims Commission.
Anyone who has followed the issue of aboriginal land claims in Canada for a number of years will realize it is a matter of astonishing complexity. The First Nations were here in Canada before European immigrants came to settle the land, as we used to say. The aboriginal peoples occupied certain lands. In the past 10, 15, 20 or 30 years they have started to realize certain rights to those lands still existed, and various First Nations started filing land claims.
It stands to reason that people living in often difficult social and economic circumstances should want to establish a land base where they can develop their potential, improve their situation and maintain their identity as a nation, as a people.
It is therefore entirely normal that the various First Nations should file these claims. Now it so happens that certain things have been accomplished, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs told us a few moments ago that certain claims had been settled with First Nations. Claims are now being negotiated, and it is expected that a number of claims will be settled within the next few years.
However, it is a fact that the existing mechanism is not perfect. The process is very slow. Some very relevant questions are being asked about the impartiality of the system, because under the present system, various aboriginal peoples and communities file a claim, which is then examined by the appropriate federal authorities.
The federal government is almost in the situation of being a judge while, at the same time, having fiduciary responsibilities toward various native peoples. I think the government is, in a way, in a conflict of interest situation, where often, because of political imperatives, it cannot easily ensure quick claim resolution of claims, in my opinion.
Clearly, at this point, the process becomes blocked, despite the best intentions of the government, and I do not doubt them. But I imagine that if, as proposed by the member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake, we could set up an independent native territorial claims commission, we could clarify the whole process. We could clarify it for all Canadians, and we could clarify it for the various first nations.
I think it is important to clarify the process not only for the native populations, but for the people of Canada. Since becoming more closely involved with native issues, because I sit on the House Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, I have been talking with my constituents in my riding and in my region. I realize that most people are sympathetic to the claims of native peoples, but are often critical because they consider the claims at times exaggerated and not in keeping with what they consider reality.
We often see maps in the paper, of either Quebec or Canada, depicting native territorial claims. If we superimpose a map of the land claims made by the various First Nations in Quebec on a map of the province, we can see that their claims cover almost all of Quebec.
I think that this is likely to cause many people to fear and be concerned about legitimate native demands, and even to reject them. People feel that their claims are out of all proportion to the populations involved.
The various native communities in Quebec may number 50,000, 60,000 or 65,000 people, depending on how you count them. People are asking how 60,000, 65,000 or even 80,000 natives can claim the Quebec territory and, in a way, challenge the rights of six or seven million Quebecers now living on this territory.
This is the kind of situation that could easily lead to prejudice developing. Just look at what is reported in the press and listen to open line programs. Aboriginal land claims are often opposed on the grounds that they are viewed as undue and unfounded.
I think that this situation ought to be resolved as quickly as possible. At the rate settlements are reached these days, according to the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development himself, I think that this issue is not about to disappear; it will remain hot and red for quite some time. If we take too long to resolve the situation, there is risk of a
rejection reaction on the part of non-natives in Canada. In addition, decisions might be made at the political level that do not fairly reflect the legitimate demands of aboriginal people.
It is important that the federal cabinet and the Liberal government fulfil the promises made in the red book in 1993, when they stated clearly that "the current process of resolving comprehensive and specific claims is simply not working. A Liberal government will implement major changes to the current approach. A Liberal government will be prepared to create, in co-operation with aboriginal peoples, an independent claims commission to speed up and facilitate the resolution of all claims". This is precisely what the hon. member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake and the Indians Claims Commission are asking for.
The federal government should act as quickly as possible for the good of all Canadians and for the good of the aboriginal nations that live on Canadian territory and have valid claims to parts of that territory.
Everyone agrees. Earlier, the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development said: "We will probably do it in the future. We do not know yet what will be the nature of the commission. However, I think we have been talking for two years under the present government, and previous governments have also dealt with these questions.
Therefore, in the interest of Quebecers, Canadians and all the different aboriginal nations, I think it is important that the government examines as quickly as possible the possibility and the urgency of creating a commission like that one so that at long last Canada and Quebec can solve the problem of aboriginal claims because it is vital for the native people. It is vital for them to keep their identity, which is to important. It is crucial to preserve the identity of a people. To preserve that identity, the territorial claims must be settled to that these people can have the necessary basis for their economic, cultural and social development.