Mr. Speaker, I have spoken previously in the House about the Sayisi Dene of Tadoule Lake who suffered unjustifiably because of forced relocation by the government.
The Sayisi Dene are one of the Denesuline Nations of northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba that have outstanding concerns regarding their traditional use of land north of 60°, land that is a part of Nunavut.
Bill C-39, the Nunavut Act amendments, received the support of parliament. My party supports the principle of self-determination.
It is imperative that the government deal with the concerns of the Denesuline before proclaiming the Nunavut legislation. We must not taint the principle of self-determination.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Assembly of First Nations fully support the objectives and initiatives of the Manitoba Denesuline, including the legal challenge before the Federal Court of Canada in defence of territory claims and treaty rights.
Must every issue this government deals with end up in the courts? These people have suffered long enough. The federal government has an obligation to meet with the representatives of the Denesuline—