Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to take part in two of the five days of consultation in British Columbia last week. I noted a lot of individuals and groups, including native groups, supported the agreement.
Some aboriginal nations were concerned about issues of overlap. These concerns will no doubt have to be taken into consideration.
What distresses me a lot in the position of the Reform Party is what my colleague, the member for Saint-Jean, tried to get this House to understand. They seem to want, for totally inappropriate reasons, to involve all British Columbians in a referendum the federal government would organize, whereas the provincial government, which represents all of the people of the province, has said and considered that this was not appropriate.
I therefore ask my colleague from the Reform Party why the federal government should meddle in the affairs of British Columbia, impose a referendum and impose a question, when the B.C. government itself does not want to organize such a public consultation?