Mr. Speaker, I have to disagree vehemently with the member opposite.
I am a first nations individual. This is outside the court challenges program and this type of case law, but currently there is a human rights complaint before the Canadian Human Rights Commission that has been filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada on the issue of first nations child welfare. I disagree with the basic premise of his statement that this is not timely any more and that these rights have been established in Canada.
I also draw his attention to the fact that there is a provision in the charter which states:
The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including
a) any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and
b) any rights or freedoms that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.
I draw his attention to the Corbiere case in 1999, which was not that long ago. It was a court challenge and dealt with the portability of treaty rights.
I disagree with the premise of the member opposite that rights have been filtered through and ascertained and everything is equal for all Canadians.