Mr. Speaker, all I can say to the hon. NDP member from Nova Scotia is that as the goalie for the official opposition hockey team, I wish he could block shots nearly as well as he can block out the facts about this treaty. If he did, maybe we would beat the Liberals for a change.
I rise today to speak not only on behalf of the people of Prince George—Peace River, but on behalf of the majority of British Columbians whose concerns and rights have been ignored by the government.
In the limited time allocated to me today, it is my intention to focus my remarks on the merits of this legislation by asking two fundamental questions. Will the Nisga'a people be better off as a result of this legislation? Will Canadian society as a whole be better off as a result of this treaty?
My riding is located in the northeastern corner of British Columbia adjacent to the east of the Nisga'a treaty lands. My constituents are concerned about this issue because the ramifications of the Nisga'a treaty will impact on the yet unsettled land claims throughout Peace country in northern B.C.
As a Reform MP I am motivated to vote against this bill based on philosophy alone. This philosophy was articulated eloquently by the Leader of the Opposition in his remarks yesterday. The remarks of the Leader of the Opposition illustrate a better way of serving our aboriginal people. His arguments clearly outlined Reform's guiding principles of equality and fairness. These principles will lead not only to prosperity for our aboriginal peoples but to a more harmonious relationship with other Canadians.
As a Reform member of parliament I do not vote based solely upon my philosophy or that of my party. I balance these interests with the interests of my constituents who I am pleased and honoured to represent.
Last March I hired a research company to survey my constituents on the Nisga'a treaty and on other issues. The following questions were asked. First, should the people of British Columbia have a voice on the principles of the Nisga'a treaty through a province wide referendum? Seventy-five per cent of the people in my riding voted yes. They felt B.C. resident citizens should have that. Second, with the information you now have about the treaty, how should your federal member of parliament vote when it comes before parliament in Ottawa? Only 17% of my constituents said that I should vote for this treaty.
In January 1999, I along with the members for Skeena, Prince George—Bulkley Valley and Okanagan—Shuswap sent out a Nisga'a treaty householder to 30 ridings held not only by Reform but by Liberal and NDP MPs. The following are the questions and answers from that householder survey.
First, do you believe the public has had adequate opportunity to provide input into the Nisga'a treaty? Eighty-nine per cent said no and only nine per cent said yes.
Second, do you believe that the people of British Columbia should have the right to vote on the principles of the Nisga'a treaty in a provincial referendum? Ninety-two per cent said yes and only seven per cent said no to a referendum.
Third, how do you want your federal MP to vote on this treaty in the House of Commons? Of all the returns that came in, 91% were against it and only 8% said that their MP should vote for it. In Prince George—Peace River, 96% were against and 3% were for. In Vancouver Quadra, currently a Liberal held riding, 91% were against and 7% were for it. In the riding of the Secretary of State for the Status of Women, 81% were against the treaty and 17% were for it. In Victoria, the riding of the former minister of fisheries, 92% were against and 8% were for it. In Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, the riding of the current yes man, 94% were against and 6% were for it. In Kamloops, 95% were against and 4% were for it. We just heard from the hon. member from Kamloops yet he did not even poll his riding to see how his constituents felt about this issue. In Burnaby-Kingsway 87% were against it and only 11% were in favour of it.
Those numbers say a lot about the intentions of British Columbians on this issue. Unlike the minister of Indian affairs I believe that the people of British Columbia are more than capable of comprehending and deciding this issue. Based on that and on the overwhelming will of my constituents, I will be voting against this bill.
What reason do the rest of these members have for not opposing this bill? Even if they did not want to go with the wishes of their constituents, what reason would they have for not opposing it? They are in opposition after all.