Nancy Karetak-Lindell

[Nunavut, April 30th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Association of Municipalities is currently in Ottawa for its annual general meeting. Established on April 1, 1999, with the creation of Nunavut, the purpose of the association is to ensure that community based government is respected and protected in all initiatives within Nunavut.

I wish to welcome the Nunavut mayors, deputy mayors and their senior administrative officers to Ottawa and to the House. I know they have a busy and interesting week ahead of them.

I would like to invite all my colleagues to meet with the mayors this evening in room 200 to learn firsthand about Nunavut issues and share their expertise while enjoying delicacies from Nunavut, listening to traditional throat singing and drum dancing, and viewing exquisite works of art from the communities.

[National Defence, April 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today comes with the news of the tragic death and injury of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. As we collectively mourn their loss, another branch of our armed forces continues to make Canada a safe place.

The Canadian rangers reached the magnetic north pole on Tuesday reaffirming Canada's sovereignty in the north. The rangers braved minus 50 degree windchills, shifting ocean ice, and polar bears.

Founded in 1947 as the first line of defence in the north, this patrol marked the rangers' 60th anniversary and was the largest and longest patrol in their history. The rangers in Nunavut are renowned for their superb winter survival skills, making them among the world's best at winter tracking and search and rescue.

Over the years the rangers have trained with their counterparts in the regular forces. I know they join with us in expressing their deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of our fallen soldiers.

[Species at Risk Act, April 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in the interests of Canadians, the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development devoted considerable effort to hearing from witnesses across the country and carefully reviewing Bill C-5.

One of the standing committee's significant contributions is the proposed establishment of a national aboriginal council to provide advice on the implementation of the bill and to the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council.

Aboriginal peoples in Canada manage a considerable amount of the habitat on which species at risk depend. Many in turn depend on wildlife for sustenance and for making a living. As a result of their unique relationship with the earth, aboriginal peoples also possess knowledge about the biological status of species and about measures that can be taken to improve this status. This information is critical to achieving the goals of Bill C-5. For the first time in wildlife legislation, Bill C-5 recognizes the value of aboriginal traditional knowledge by requiring that it be considered, together with scientific and community knowledge, in the assessment of species at risk.

I would like to pause here for a moment and talk about the aboriginal working group on species at risk. This group includes representation from Canada's national aboriginal organizations. The aboriginal working group participated in the development of Bill C-5 and continues to provide advice to the federal government on the development of species at risk legislation. We do not want to lose access to the kind of advice and input from the aboriginal working group that has helped to inform the policy behind the bill. We need a mechanism to ensure that it continues.

I am pleased that the record will show the importance of the efforts of the aboriginal working group. The establishment of a national aboriginal council on species at risk is consistent with the Government of Canada's commitment to strengthening its relationship with aboriginal peoples. This is a great step forward.

By establishing the national aboriginal council on species at risk, we are recognizing and putting into law the importance of the relationship of aboriginal peoples to land and wildlife. The establishment of this formal advisory body puts into law what has been happening in practice, thereby strengthening the government's commitment to aboriginal involvement. With this council, with this legislation, and with the incorporation of aboriginal traditional knowledge into the assessment and recovery of species, we are moving forward.

We have said for nearly nine years that we all share in the responsibility of protecting wildlife. Perhaps no group demonstrates a commitment to that responsibility more than Canada's aboriginal peoples. The national aboriginal council on species at risk will set into law a partnership that has already produced many positive results. It is a partnership we are also working hard to foster with others, with landowners, farmers, fishermen, conservation groups and those in the resource sector, which will be aided by the proposed species at risk legislation.

[Emergency Medical Services, April 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the volunteers who take part in search and rescue missions in Nunavut are highly respected for their bravery and courage in locating and helping anyone stranded on the land or at sea, sometimes in severe conditions.

On Wednesday night, paramedics from Ottawa Emergency Medical Services, students from Nunavut Sivuniksavut and other interested volunteers packed up boxes of uniforms donated by the EMS paramedics to send to search and rescue teams throughout Nunavut. My office has taken on the task of sending the donations to the communities of Nunavut.

I would like to thank the paramedics of Ottawa Emergency Medical Services. Their generosity will be greatly appreciated, and it is another great example of Canadians reaching out to other Canadians. I know the links that were formed Wednesday evening will continue with great benefit to all involved. Thanks also to the Nunavut Sivuniksavut and my staff for their hard work.

[Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act, April 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the House on Bill C-33, the Nunavut Waters and Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act.

Hon. members are familiar with the legislation. It is back before us today so we can consider an amendment moved by the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources and approved by the Senate. I am pleased to advise the House that the government will accept the amendment which does not alter the intent of the legislation or affect any of its provisions.

Bill C-33 remains an important bit of unfinished business for Canada. It is important for Inuit and for the future of Nunavut. I will give members a bit of the history. The agreement was signed in 1993. Yet here we are in 2002 still trying to get legislation for the bodies created under the land claims agreement. It is important that the bodies have a legislative base.

Today I will be asking hon. members to support the legislation as amended so it can proceed quickly to royal assent and proclamation. I will address the amendment in a few minutes. First, I will remind hon. members what the government is endeavouring to achieve with the legislation and why it deserves our support.

Bill C-33 would establish the legislative framework for two institutions of public government: the Nunavut Water Board which is responsible for licensing the use of water and the deposit of waste in Nunavut; and the Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal whose role is to resolve access disputes between landowners and those who want and need to use the land. As hon. members know, preliminary versions of both institutions were created in 1996 under the authority of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The land claims agreement also requires Canada to establish in law the power, duties and functions of the institutions.

Bill C-33 would meet this requirement. The bill is one of empowerment. Nunavut residents would be guaranteed representation on both the Nunavut Water Board and the Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal, thereby bringing decision making closer to the people. Bill C-33 would help give the people of Nunavut, some 85% of whom are Inuit, opportunities to become economically self reliant and build relevant institutions of government.

I will talk a bit about what we are doing in Nunavut. It is very much parallel to what the government of Nunavut is doing. We talk about Nunavut becoming economically self reliant and becoming a government on its own. It is a long struggle which becomes harder if we do not have the resources, legislation and tools in place.

I see Bill C-33 as one of the tools that would help us move a bit further down the road that has been three years in the making since April 1, 1999. I am proud to say the people of Nunavut have risen to the challenge and made the last three years exciting. Great progress has been made. Because of the great challenges we face we have a lot further to go, but I can honestly say we have made changes in the last three years. If we keep working the way we have it is a good sign for the future. The last three years are a good example of the determination of the people of Nunavut to make things right.

By supporting Bill C-33 at second and third reading hon. members have shown they agree with the government on these matters. As I noted at the outset, the legislation requires our attention once again due to an amendment approved by the other place. Specifically, the other place has amended Bill C-33 to remove the non-derogation clause.

Inuit rights provided for within the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement are not only constitutionally protected under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. Clause 3(1) of Bill C-33 says that in the event of any inconsistency between the bill and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement would prevail.

The intent of the non-derogation clause was neither to diminish nor enhance the constitutional protection given to the rights of Canada's aboriginal peoples. The government's goal was to signal that enactment of Bill C-33 would not abrogate or derogate from the protection provided by the Constitution Act, 1982 to aboriginal and treaty rights.

Non-derogation clauses are not uncommon in federal statutes. Their intent is always the same: to remind the reader that aboriginal peoples have protected rights under our constitution that must be taken into account when exercising legislative authority. It is for this reason that aboriginal people often request that such clauses be included in bills for their comfort.

Unfortunately, some Inuit representatives cannot accept this explanation for the non-derogation clause in Bill C-33. The issue of the non-derogation clause has become somewhat of a debate among lawyers vying for their legal opinions to be heard. The magnitude of the debate has been blown out of proportion.

The courts have not yet made any interpretations regarding non-derogation clauses. Some groups do not share the government's interpretation that such clauses are a signal of constitutional protection because statutes are subject to protection under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 whether or not such clauses are included. For that reason when Bill C-33 was before the standing committee some witnesses expressed strong opposition to the clause.

The obvious solution was to remove the non-derogation clause from the bill. While our goal was simply to flag aboriginal rights which are already enshrined in the constitution, we acknowledge that if some Inuit people found no comfort in the clause and it made them uncomfortable, there was no reason to leave it in the bill. That being said, hon. members should be aware that removal of the clause in no way impacts the application of Bill C-33 or the protection of aboriginal rights. In short, neither the bill nor the Inuit will suffer because of the amendment.

It is time to move forward with the legislation. There has been a lot of debate on the issue. It has been divisive for some people in the territory. The debate is becoming larger than the bill itself. I have spoken a bit about what is happening in the territory. There are so many things going on at the same time that we want to move forward. I do not want the groups that are trying to move forward and deal with the challenges to be held back because they have no legislation with which to do their work.

There have been exhaustive consultations. We hope they have resulted in a bill that would further implement the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, protect the Arctic environment and create certainty for the resource industry and others who may wish to invest in Nunavut.

Hon. members have heard me talk as much as I can about the natural resources available in the territory. We hope we will be able to draw investors in the future. We are doing so today because of the territory's promising natural resources such as diamonds and precious metals.

We hope to use those resources to move forward and become contributors to Canadian society. It will also benefit us in the form of jobs and training. We want our communities to become industry based instead of government based as it is in so many communities.

We hope our young people will go back to school to pursue careers that will help them take advantage of all the natural resources available in the new territory.

The mining industries have stated that it is difficult for them to invest in our territory unless there is absolute certainty and they know the playing field. I have had a couple of people tell me that they really wished Bill C-33 would go through because it would create a more certain field for them as far as an investor is concerned.

As I referenced earlier, the bill is a key part of the government's commitment to the Inuit of Nunavut through the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Settlement Act. With that in mind, I urge hon. members to join me in voting in favour of Bill C-33 as amended.

[2002 Arctic Winter Games, March 13th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that the 2002 Arctic Winter Games will officially open on Sunday, March 17 in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

These games are a bi-annual, multinational and multicultural sporting event attended by athletes from across the north. They will be co-hosted by Iqaluit, Nunavut and Nuuk, Greenland. This is the first time that the games are co-hosted by two countries.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is one of the official sponsors of the games and its funding has been used to upgrade the Arctic College Ukiivik residence in Iqaluit which will be the athletes' home away from home during the games. Following the games CMHC, in partnership with the Nunavut Housing Corporation, will conduct a study to determine the long-term potential of this facility.

May I offer my best wishes to all the athletes during these games.

[The Ladies of Nunavut, March 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, with International Women's Day being celebrated on March 8, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Cambridge Bay women's group called The Ladies of Nunavut, which is working hard in preparation for the grand opening of the Kitikmeot Heritage Centre scheduled for May.

The members of The Ladies of Nunavut are sewing the caribou clothing for the mannequin displays for the heritage centre as well as using traditional skins for mitts, parkas, dolls and wall hangings.

The members of The Ladies of Nunavut are women of all ages and share their experience and skills. They not only sew but are famous throughout Nunavut for catering their traditional food and dishes.

Women's groups like this are the cornerstones of communities throughout Nunavut and are good examples of the difference we can make in the lives of others.

I wish The Ladies of Nunavut continued success in all of its endeavours.

[Father Joseph Meeùs, February 25th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend the community of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, honoured Father Joseph Meeùs. On Sunday, February 24, 2002, he celebrated a milestone anniversary, his 50th year of priesthood in the Roman Catholic church.

Ataata Jusipi, as he is affectionately known, was born in Belgium, arrived in Canada in 1952 and has since then devoted his life to the Arctic, serving in the diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay since 1968.

Father Meeùs has earned the respect of all, including the clergy of different denominations. Devoted to the cause of the people, he serves the community, elders and youth alike with wisdom and great humility.

We thank Ataata Jusipi for his kindness, generosity and devotion to the Arctic and its people. On behalf of my constituents we wish him well.

[Justice, February 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice.

Despite recent declines in the crime rate, Canadians remain concerned about the issues of crime and victimization, but Canadians also are aware that we cannot simply react to crimes after they occur. We need to stop crimes before they ever happen. What is the government doing in the area of crime prevention?

[International Mother Tongue Day, February 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today is the official opening of an exhibition of Pangnirtung tapestries called Nuvisavik: the Place Where We Weave, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Pangnirtung is a Nunavut community famous for majestic scenery and abundant marine life as well as the artistry of the weavers and print makers. Pangnirtung is located in the south of Baffin Island and is one of the gateways to the spectacular Auyuittuq National Park. I have visited the tapestry studio in Pangnirtung many times and was impressed by the hard work, artistic vision and dedication of the weavers.

I thank everyone involved in putting this exhibition on and encourage my hon. colleagues to attend this interesting exhibition in celebration of International Mother Tongue Day.