Madam Speaker, I do not believe I said such a word. If I did, I certainly did not intend to use unparliamentary language, but I do believe that inaccurate information is being presented in the House and that is a matter on the record. I certainly did not intend to use unparliamentary language and I will withdraw any language that I used that is unparliamentary.
I would like to go through some of the arguments that were used this morning by the Reform Party. One of them was that this is a perpetuation of a 19th century approach. I want to state very clearly that I think what we have seen in the past through the Indian Act would represent that.
If nothing else, this treaty represents a genuine attempt by all of the parties involved, the Nisga'a people, the provincial government and the federal government, to produce a modern day treaty within the constitution of Canada, within the laws of Canada, to provide self-determination and a sense of pride and future for the Nisga'a people. For the leader of the Reform Party to suggest otherwise, I believe, is a misrepresentation.
We also heard from the Reform Party this morning that this treaty will now become the template, the one size fits all for all future treaties, including the 50 in British Columbia and however many there are in Canada. This is completely wrong. This has not been stated anywhere.
This treaty went through a very good process. I hope it is reproduced and used as a model for other treaties. The treaty itself is something that stands on its own merit. It is not written in this treaty or in any other policy or legislation that it will be replicated. I want to put that to rest.
We also heard that the Nisga'a treaty will somehow mirror what has been a very tragic situation with the fishing industry on the east coast, that we will see a parallel with the Nisga'a treaty. Again the Reform Party is dead wrong in the line it is peddling on that. The Reform Party is misleading people and presenting information that is simply not the case. In actual fact, this treaty clearly outlines that if other groups are prevented from fishing for whatever reason, then that will also apply. It is clearly very erroneous information.
We also heard from the member for Skeena that this treaty is going to cost a huge amount of money. I think he mentioned the figure of $1.2 billion. I may have that slightly wrong but it was of that magnitude. Again I want to say that this information is inaccurate and simply not correct.
The treaty provides for a total of $253 million in a one time payment over 15 years from the federal government to the Nisga'a people. There are also contributions from the B.C. government in terms of a land value of $108.6 million and $37.5 million in forgone forestry revenues. Again, the arguments are false.
We also heard that this has been a secretive deal and a closed door process. This treaty had many public hearings and fora. More than 40 hearings alone were held by the parliamentary committee in British Columbia. Anyone who wanted to be heard could state their case and opinions on this treaty. Again, it is misinformation.
At the end of the day we do have a choice here. We have a choice to negotiate treaties in good faith in our modern day world and recognize aboriginal people as full citizens, or we can continue with chaos and litigation in the courts. I think most members of the House have made the correct decision. It is unfortunate that the Reform Party has chosen not to do the honourable thing.