Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today to Bill C-79, which amends the Indian Act.
This bill allows bands so wishing to amend certain provisions of the Indian Act. We are looking at the reform of a bill passed over a century ago. That was a long time ago. The amendments concern 45 of the 120 sections of the Indian Act.
The main areas affected by the changes are estates, new powers to band councils, electoral procedures, infractions and the application of criminal law on reserves. For example, the chief and the band council have a three year mandate; we do not know why. The
minister has the power to annul an election; we do not know the reason for that either.
Because the new powers this bill confers are optional, only the nations so requesting will be covered by this new legislation. The others will remain under the old one.
This is a bad bill. The report of the Erasmus-Dussault royal commission of inquiry noted the bill was outdated and backward and said that amending it was not the way to establish a new relationship between natives and non natives.
With Bill C-79, Canada returns to its colonial past with respect to its aboriginal peoples. At the time, the only aim of the Indian Act was to assimilate the native peoples. This bill does not even have the approval of those primarily affected by it-the native peoples. In December 1996, of 610 aboriginal communities, 542 came out against this bill. In other words, more than 85 per cent of the First Nations categorically reject the process set in motion by the federal government in this respect.
How can the government go ahead when the vast majority of those affected oppose its proposal? Many of the commitments the Liberal Party of Canada had made to the aboriginal people before the election were not fulfilled. Even the aboriginal people involved in developing the election platform set out in the red book made sure to publicly dissociate themselves from the Liberal Party of Canada when they saw this government's attitude and behaviour toward the First Nations.
There is no mention anywhere in the seven pages of promises relating to the aboriginal people in the red book of any amendment to the Indian Act. Where does this initiative come from? The red book states at page 98: "A Liberal government will develop a more comprehensive process for consultation between federal ministers and aboriginal representatives with respect to decision making that directly affect First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples".
This is another example of a serious consultation problem on a bill that concerns specifically and directly aboriginal peoples. This approach is contrary to the red book, which goes on to say: "It does not make sense for the federal government to be unilaterally making policy or budgetary decisions that affect the lives of aboriginal people, without their consent".
The fact of the matter is that it is the core of the commitments made to the aboriginal people that this government failed to honour. Where is the "new partnership", the "mutual respect", and the "participation of aboriginal people in the decision making process" this government had promised before the 1993 election?
On November 21, the report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was released. This is a comprehensive, important and interesting study prepared by the Erasmus-Dussault commission. I agree with the objectives stated in this report concerning self-government, the recognition of aboriginal nations and territorial claims.
Canada's aboriginal nations are distinct. As such, they must have increased self-government, so as to be able, among other things, to generate revenues and to protect their languages and cultures. Aboriginal nations have a right to be sovereign in strategic sectors such as health, education, language and economic development. It is the only way they can ensure the preservation and development of their own identity.
However, aboriginal people must first be recognized, so that they can negotiate directly with the federal and provincial governments. We must repair the harm done over the years to aboriginal people by the various Canadian governments. After more than a century of Canadian policies designed to assimilate, if not eliminate aboriginal people, it is time the federal government recognized its mistakes, assumed its responsibilities and made the necessary changes.
Aboriginal nations must achieve self-government status to stop being financially dependent on Ottawa. I am pleased that the Government of Quebec negotiated and signed a modern day treaty with the Crees. The James Bay Agreement made it possible to improve the Crees' economic situation and to let them take charge of their development. I should point out that the fair sharing of the land was instrumental in the success of this initiative.
It is well known that I come from Latin America, where Indians make up a large part, sometimes the majority, of the population in certain countries. From the beginning of colonization in 1492, the aboriginal peoples were exploited and exterminated. Today, more than 500 years later, they are still living in inhumane conditions, in unacceptable poverty and misery.
The Erasmus-Dussault report is critical, and rightly so, of the living conditions of native people in Canada, "the best country in the world" as the Prime Minister so often tells us. In Latin America, these conditions are much worse.
I take this opportunity to urge the federal government to put the issue of Amerindians on the agenda when meeting with various countries, whether bilaterally or multilaterally through the OAS, or in other international forums.
International co-operation must be developed in this regard with respect to the Americas. The Erasmus-Dussault report describes and deplores the immense problems confronting Canada's native peoples with respect to health, education, unemployment, housing and crime. Native peoples are a minority representing 3 percent of the population. They are often the victims of racism and discrimi-
nation. In addition, this study points out that over 10,000 households on reserves are without indoor plumbing.
The Liberals have done nothing to resolve these serious problems. Nor will they with Bill C-79. For all these reasons, I will therefore be voting against Bill C-79.