House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 30% of the vote.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that the Prime Minister has said that the government has a legal obligation to aboriginal people to negotiate and to modernize treaties in order to bring effect to them in today's world.
Our position is very clear. I would like to know, for a change, what the Reform's position is on this.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the obvious situation is just the opposite.
When we had the agreement in principle, we then went ahead and made some significant changes after the agreement in principle because of the consultation with third party interests. The reason we had over 286 meetings alone with third party interests was to make sure that the agreement would reflect the needs of the people in the Nass Valley.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, you might have noticed that this is the witness list that the members keep saying are in favour of the treaty. However, those are the ones who are opposed. Someone is contradicting themselves over there.
We are having hearings. We are letting people come and say what they believe. From there, the legislation will come to the House.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
No, Mr. Speaker.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, because it is in our constitution under section 35(1).
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I do not know what the opposition members will do in the next number of months if they are this exercised about the Nisga'a treaty because it is our intention as a government to bring in a number of other treaties from British Columbia. I hope opposition members handle them as well as they are handling this one.
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what we will do in dealing with how exercised the opposition is—
Aboriginal Affairs November 23rd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, having a referendum would suggest very strongly that there has been no consultation.
As members well know, because we have been talking about this for a number of weeks, there have been over 500 public meetings on Nisga'a in British Columbia. Over 34 cities and towns in British Columbia had hearings in the last number of months. Tonight we will have a vote by parliamentarians who were elected by Canadians. I think that is good democratic process.
Aboriginal Affairs November 22nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, as I understand, the Gitanyow have said in those hearings and in other places that they support the Nisga'a agreement but their concern is the overlap and we are working on achieving that certainty right now.
Aboriginal Affairs November 22nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of any first nation leadership, first nations community, or first nation person who has written the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development saying that they do not believe in the aspirations of the Nisga'a people through the treaty.