Mr. Speaker, I know there have been a number of people in the chair during the day, but I have been here on duty since 11 o'clock this morning. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, it is now after 11 o'clock at night. I have been listening very carefully and I have decided that there are a few things I would like to put on the record with respect to this legislation.
I want to begin with a little story from my own riding. It has to do with our armoury. Earlier this winter very serious problems arose with the structure of our armoury. This is a historic building. It is one of the oldest functioning armouries in Canada. There were serious problems with the roof. The foundation was in terrible shape. It cost $1 million simply to patch up the armoury. We are looking at many millions more before the physical structure of the armoury is in good shape.
My concern is if we spend those moneys, after spending millions of dollars on this armoury, how can we ensure that we do not get the same problems again? Although up front the problem had something to do with bricks, mortar, stone, tile and things like that, the real problem was one of absentee management. Our armoury in Peterborough was being managed through DND from headquarters in Trenton. That has been the case for 90 years.
Someone in Peterborough would notice that there was a leak in the roof and they would make a mental note to remember there was a leak in the roof. The following week, because the rain would stop, someone else would notice the leak in the roof and they would make a mental note. Then one day there would be a flood in the basement and someone would phone the general at the head office in Trenton and tell him about the flood in the basement. The general would make a note. Someone would then finally come up and look. They would ask “Where did all this water in the basement come from?” They would trace it through and discover that there was a problem in the roof.
It is my fear with our armouries that even when we fix them with millions of dollars that if we do not change the management system, it will always be like that and one day our armouries will just cave in.
I am amazed with the Reform Party members. They are people who pride themselves in their interest in things local. There are approximately 650 first nations across Canada, 650 very diverse groups of people with different languages, cultures, histories, physical settings, rural settings and urban settings. They are managed by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
It is our policy to get rid of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development at a pace set by the first nations. The reason for that is that we know, and I accept this, that many of the problems with those 600 or so first nations arise from the fact that there has been absentee management, and in fact one would say, as in the case of our armouries, absentee mismanagement.
It is impossible for someone here in Ottawa, someone in this room or just down the road, to say what should be going on in the elementary schools of one of these first nations, or to say whether the sewer needs fixing, or to say whether one of the buildings needs fixing in the way I described it with our armouries. It is absolutely impossible and we know it. Yet, for generations that is the way these first nations have been managed. It is our objective, granted at a pace set by the first nations themselves, to change the management system so that the people of those first nations can manage themselves and improve conditions for themselves.
We are not talking about more than 600 first nations here. We are talking about 14 first nations scattered all across the country. We have heard a lot about those in British Columbia but it includes those in Ontario. They are all very different. We can tell by their names that their languages are different.
I would like to mention one thing about the first nation that happens to be closest to me, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island. I do not know if anybody knows this, but the Mississaugas of Scugog Island are distinctive in one respect. In World War II every single eligible male volunteered and served in the armed forces. Every single one. One hundred per cent of the male population. I am sure many members already knew that fact. That is one of these particular first nations.
Although none of these first nations are in my riding, I was at Georgina Island when the chiefs initialled this agreement, the one we are discussing here today. We and the people watching and listening to this debate should know that this is the result of years, not months, not 12 hours of debate from 11 o'clock this morning until 11 o'clock tonight, even though we are here debating it at this time of night; this is as a result of years of negotiation. The proposal came to our minister from the first nations themselves. Chiefs came forward and suggested this approach.
Going back to the 600 first nations, because there are still 600 first nations out there who are not part of this agreement, the idea is that here is one other experiment we might try of putting some effective power in the hands of these communities so that they can help themselves. By doing so they can help the regions in which they find themselves. That is where we are. This has come to our minister and our minister is responding to the requests of these first nations.
On the question of consultation, we are talking about years of negotiation and discussion. When I was at Georgina Island with the chiefs and other people from all over the country for the signing, there was an air of excitement that they had designed a land management system which they felt would work and which might well become an example for other first nations across the country. If the other first nations do not want to try this route, they need not. These 14 have decided to go this way.
I would like to put a few of the remarks of some of these chiefs on the record. Some of this material has been used before. I think the people who are watching at this time of night should be aware of them.
Chief Austin Bear of the Muskoday first nation said: “The framework agreement in this legislation acknowledges our fundamental right to control our reserve lands and resources. Furthermore they ensure that our lands are protected for future generations by prohibiting surrender or sale or expropriation of those lands”.
There has been some discussion of women on and off reserve. Lorraine McRae, the chief of the Chippewas of Mnjikaning nation said: “This initiative is an opportunity for the full and active participation of the members of our first nations, elders, women and men both off reserve and on reserve to collectively develop land management systems appropriate to our communities based on fairness, equality and accountability”.
These are direct quotations from first nations leaders.
I am glad to be here after 12 hours. I urge all members of the House to support this legislation. Let us end all these delay tactics and get on with it. Let us get on with it.