Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister admitted in the House that aboriginal women do not enjoy the same rights as all other Canadian women in this country. She admitted that in the event of a marriage breakdown, aboriginal women most often do not have access to the matrimonial home She admitted that the Nisga'a treaty does nothing to redress this. As a matter of fact it slams the door on Nisga'a women ever having these rights.
Why is the minister prepared to ratify this treaty when it slams the door on Nisga'a women having the right to matrimonial property as all other Canadian women enjoy?