Mr. Speaker, I spent the last two weeks travelling from province to province meeting with grassroots aboriginals all demanding accountability.
They say they are fearful of the courts, the governments and the privileges they are granting native band leaders. In particular, they are fearful of the Nisga'a treaty. They are concerned that the Canadian judiciary is being instructed to sentence native criminals differently than non-natives. With the Delgamuukw decision creating uncertainty with land use rights for natives, they will be before our courts for many years to come.
With all these decisions we are moving toward creating nations within a nation, a collection of laws, rights and privileges available only to status Indians.
The role of the government is to treat all Canadians equally, not to grant special rights or exemptions to a select few. The grassroots natives feel that the living standards of all will improve when they are more fully integrated into Canadian society, not excluded from it.
One law and one Canada. This should be our motto.