Mike Scott

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 23rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, B.C. Liberals have walked out of the legislature in protest over the NDP strong-arm tactics in invoking closure and time allocation on an unprecedented treaty that is going to affect the entire country.

We want to know is this government going to respect the democratic institutions of British Columbia and the democratic wish of the people of British Columbia to have a say on this treaty and a full debate, or is it going to bring in the treaty in lockstep with Glen Clark's government?

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 23rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Liberals walked out of the provincial legislature yesterday in protest over the NDP's unprecedented move to cut off debate on the Nisga'a treaty. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell called the NDP's strong-arm tactics “exceptional in the extreme and an assault on our democratic institutions”. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong blasted Clark's government for imposing a “draconian and sinister closure motion”.

Will the government commit here and now to tell Glen Clark that ratification in this House will not proceed until the democratic institutions of British Columbia have been respected?

[Privilege, April 22nd, 1999]

In five and a half years of being in this place I have never risen on a question of privilege before and I seek your guidance, Mr. Speaker.

When a member of the House actually states that another member said things the member did not say in any way, shape or form, it has huge ramifications on the positions we take on issues in various parts of the country. Because these proceedings are televised, it has the effect of leaving the public with an impression that is very wrong.

I need to know how we can end these kinds of untruthful or wrong impressions—

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 22nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it sure would be nice if we got an answer to a question once around here.

The people of British Columbia have been denied their democratic say on this treaty. Mr. Campbell, a Liberal, has said that the NDP have “dropped the guillotine on democracy”.

Frank Calder, a respected Nisga'a elder, has said “Don't cut off the debate”.

Will the government commit now not to table the Nisga'a legislation until the people of British Columbia have had their full and democratic say?

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 22nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, B.C. Liberal leader, Gordon Campbell, has accused Glen Clark's provincial NDP of “dropping the guillotine on democracy” by cutting off debate on the Nisga'a treaty. He has said “It is wrong to slam the door on the public”.

Does the government agree with Gordon Campbell, a Liberal, that Glen Clark's NDP has trashed the democratic process? Will it commit here and now not to table vitally important Nisga'a legislation until the people of British Columbia have had their full and democratic say on this treaty?

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we asked the government several times why it is agreeing to ratify a Nisga'a treaty that will effectively give the Nisga'a the right to ban trade unions in the Nisga'a territory.

I ask the minister again, why is she prepared to diminish the rights of Nisga'a people by accepting a treaty that will allow the Nisga'a central government to ban trade unions in their territory?

[Nelson Mandela, April 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, not long ago we had the great honour to receive Nelson Mandela in this place.

Mr. Mandela has been an uncompromising champion of equality in South Africa.

In 1953 he said “We have been banned because we favour a policy which affords fundamental rights to all, irrespective of race, colour, sex or language.”

Yet in 1999 the government is preparing to embrace the Nisga'a treaty, an agreement built upon core principles that Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail fighting.

The treaty embraces Nisga'a government and it allows them to ban businesses, professions, trades and even trade unions. It is a deal based on special status and different rights based on race, and it diminishes the rights of all Canadians, especially grassroots Nisga'a.

Mr. Mandela said upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize “It remains our hope that we will be blessed with sufficient reason that our new society cannot be created by reproducing the repugnant past, however refined and enticingly packaged ”.

It is too bad that Canada's academics and political leaders have not learned this simple truth.

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the government and the minister know that they are in the process of abandoning grassroots Nisga'a people by destroying their right to belong to a trade union, a right which all other Canadians enjoy.

The parliamentary secretary should know that once the Nisga'a treaty is ratified this denial of basic rights can never be corrected because the treaty expressly states that Nisga'a laws will prevail over federal and provincial laws in the case of a conflict.

How could the government possibly defend this kind of agreement or this kind of treaty that denies people their basic rights?

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to note that in the case of the Kamloops Indian band the government deems the matter to be out of order, but we find that the Nisga'a treaty will also give the Nisga'a government the absolute power to ban trade unions from their territory for all time.

Why do the minister and the government agree to grant self-government powers to the Nisga'a government that deny Nisga'a people the right to belong to a trade union?

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Kamloops Indian band has just enacted a labour code that denies unions the right to strike or collect union dues on the reserve. This move effectively bans unions on the Kamloops Indian reserve and it flies in the face of the Canada Labour Code and denies basic rights and freedoms to band members.

Does the minister agree that the Kamloops Indian band's new labour code is an attack on the charter rights of band members to participate in trade unions?