Mr. Speaker, today the government shuts down debate on Bill C-49. The government has refused to address the issue of the disposition of family homes in divorce, choosing to instead to leave it up to individual bands to create laws.
Mr. Stanley Cuthand, an academic elder at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, has stated that the problem with entrusting band councils to develop divorce laws is that traditional customs are vague.
Does the minister think that this statement by a respected elder has merit? If so, why is she ramming the legislation through so quickly?