Mr. Speaker, the member for Skeena and I and 13 host MPs completed an aboriginal town hall series in B.C. last week. This included eight communities and attracted over 1,600 people.
We delivered a distinctly different and welcomed point of view to the public. Many British Columbians are concerned that none of the negotiating parties in the process is vigorously representing non-native interests and that the process is secretive. Additionally, the total cost of the settlement based on recent leaks would be at least $8 billion and may exceed $18 billion.
Federal responsibility for treaty Indians is clearly established and there is also a federal obligation to ensure public interest is met. The current process is built on sand and will fail. Fundamental change is needed to create modern treaties that are affordable and lead to native self-sufficiency, finality of negotiations and equality of Canadians.