[Member spoke in Inuktitut]
ᐅᖃᖅᑎ
[Member provided the following translation of the Inuktitut]
Mr. Speaker,
[English]
last week, in response to my question, the Prime Minister said that all parties that are supposed to be at the table for the two Dene treaties are at the table. He was wrong.
Since 1975, every modern land claims agreement in Canada has involved the province or territory where the lands in question are located. Further, every modern land claims agreement in Canada's northern territories has involved three parties: the indigenous group, Canada and the government of the territory where the agreement is to operate.
The two Dene treaties affect jurisdictional authority and will result in financial obligations to the Government of Nunavut and will also require amendments to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. They cannot be implemented without the consent of the Government of Nunavut.
Given the legal precedents and subsequent jurisprudence, I call on the Government of Canada to do the right thing and immediately invite the Government of Nunavut to the table as a full participant and signatory, where they should be. The treaties will be stronger for it.