Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary is professing a great concern for aboriginal people and I am sure his concern is legitimate.
Do not the Gitksan and Gitanyow count? Why was the overlap situation not addressed before this treaty was implemented? Why is the government talking about a fiduciary obligation to aboriginal people on the one hand but completely cutting out the Gitksan and Gitanyow people who claim that 85% of the land being given to the Nisga'a in this treaty is actually their traditional territory?
Let me quote for the hon. parliamentary secretary's benefit Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, who represent a considerable number of indigenous people in British Columbia. He says:
The fastest approach that government is taking to treaty making will undoubtedly mire indigenous peoples and the province in years of court cases. Until overlap issues are dealt with and addressed among indigenous peoples, no government has the right to enter into treaties recognizing title or rights to any territory. I am outraged by these reprehensible actions. The entire B.C. treaty process is not viable, is wide open to many legal challenges.
Why does the parliamentary secretary not address that issue which is of vital concern to many aboriginal people, including people in my riding to whom I happen to talk on a regular basis?