Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, thank you very much for the opportunity.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Very briefly, Mr. Chair, from the Nisga'a perspective, “Nisga'a government” is the term we use for self-government. It was very important in our pursuit of the land question. The process of re-empowerment for us was as important as any other part of our Nisga'a Final Agreement.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, with the Nisga'a, we have no qualms about at some point in the future being totally self-reliant. The fiscal financing agreements that we seek to negotiate with the Government of Canada right now are a very important building block in that process. We can't be clearer to

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I want to speak on the cost very briefly, Mr. Chair. It's a legitimate concern that government has with regard to any change and establishment of new resources to deal with implementing treaties. But with respect, I think the irony is that the cost of not doing it would be far g

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Mr. Russell, for your questions. We released our model policy in the first week of March in a press release in the Parliamentary Press Gallery, with the assistance of Ms. Crowder. Before that, we had a meeting with Minister Strahl, I think t

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. In response to Mr. Duncan's comments, I would like to distinguish and make it very clear that the example we provide in the area of our frustrations in trying to renegotiate a new fiscal financing agreement is a subset of the overall frustration we feel in

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. In direct answer to Ms. Crowder's question, the coalition has long called for a new land claims implementation policy. In 2006, the coalition adopted what we called the Four-Ten Declaration, four main principles that are the foundation. These four principle

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  A willingness on the part of the Government of Canada to come to the table.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In the Nisga'a experience, the Nisga'a government provisions were a hard-fought compromise, and they're constitutionally protected. Through that process, we believe the treaty contemplated a government-to-government relationship with Canada, as well as B.C. I'm going to interpr

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  More than anything for the Nisga'a Nation, the treaty represents an array of opportunities to become self-reliant and to be able to provide for our citizens without having to come hat in hand to senior governments. The emphasis that I made in my comments with respect to the unde

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Concise, succinct, and to the point.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  From one chair to another, I appreciate what you're up against. Good morning, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much. And good morning, honourable committee members. I'm very pleased to finally have an opportunity to speak directly to each of you. You are probably all aware that the Lan