Jim Prentice

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's question. If the Bloc members say they are in favour of human rights, they should support Bill C-44 dealing with the rights of women and children. We still have not heard from the hon. member on this matter.

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member could devote some of this new-found enthusiasm and fervour for human rights to the subject of first nations, particularly first nations women in Canada.

Bill C-44 has been before a committee of the House, including before the hon. member, for 83 days at this point, I am told. It is nine words long, including complicated words such as “is” and “the”. To this point, not a single amendment has been proposed by the hon. member or anyone else.

Perhaps she could dedicate the same enthusiasm to protecting first nation women in Canada.

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, to correct the hon. member, there has not yet been an announcement with respect to reform of the specific claims process, but there will be one in the fullness of time.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2007, June 6th, 2007]

moved that Bill C-52, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2007, be read the third time and passed.

[Motions for Papers, June 6th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, no document entitled the Kelowna accord is to be found in the record of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, therefore I ask the hon. member to withdraw his motion.

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, once again it is worth pointing out to the hon. member that no one has threatened anyone. We simply pointed out that we respect the law and we expect that people will respect the law on June 29.

In terms of the record of this government compared to the previous government, I point out for the edification of the hon. member that it was the former Liberal government, over the course of 13 years, that did absolutely nothing to resolve land claims in the country and allowed an accumulation of over 800 backlogged land claims. That is the cause of frustration in the aboriginal community. If he wants to know who is responsible, he need only look in a mirror.

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am not entirely sure what the hon. member is speaking to but perhaps he could direct some of the same vigour, enthusiasm and zeal toward Bill C-44, which is currently before the aboriginal affairs committee of the House.

The operative clause of the bill is nine words long. The bill has been at the committee for 20 weeks which has allowed the committee, on average, 10 days to study each word, including complicated words such as “is” and “the”.

The member and others have had 20 weeks to study the bill. Perhaps he should get on with protecting human rights.

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 31st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Justice Linden today made a number of recommendations. A number of those pertain to provincial aboriginal policy and the absolute necessity of having the provincial government present during land claim negotiations. We await the province's response with respect to those recommendations.

With respect to the recommendations relating to the resolution of claims generally, the report reflects many speeches which I have given personally, many discussions which have taken place in Parliament. I can assure the member that she can expect major land claim reforms soon, very soon.

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 31st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Canadian government I would thank Justice Linden for his fine work. The circumstances of the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation are well known to me.

Justice Linden in his report has pointed out that more than 50 years have passed since the end of the war and since the expected return of this army camp land to this first nation. He has chronicled the long neglect by previous federal governments and I agree with his conclusions.

This land was appropriated in 1942 for military purposes. It has been decades since it should have been returned. I am indeed sorry that previous federal governments have not dealt with this. I intend to--

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the questions from the hon. opposition member, but we disagree with him on this issue.

This year, the budget includes $10 billion for federal aboriginal programs. This government is working with Canada's aboriginal peoples under many programs for women, youth and other aboriginal individuals.