Public Safety committee  I think when it comes to mental health issues, there are so many preventative measures we could take. We just released a suicide strategy and a lot of valuable resources need to go into that. When it comes to suicide and guns, I have experienced that personally. I think it goes

Public Safety committee  I know a lot about suicide. My daughter committed suicide.

Public Safety committee  My experience is far too deep, like I say, but yes, I agree. With mental health, there should be some restrictions. There again, in the community we know our people.

Public Safety committee  Yes. Just on the last topic, I didn't mean to.... Suicide is preventable. I wasn't saying.... I hope that didn't come out the wrong way; that's what I'm saying.

Public Safety committee  There needs to be secure storage.

Public Safety committee  Okay. If I can understand the question, you're asking about our cultural perspective in terms of guns?

Public Safety committee  Yes. First, I just want to quickly share that as a rite of passage, many of our young sons go through a training. They go through what you might call your licence, the FAC. It happens when a boy goes into puberty, so it is a rite of passage. We hunt for sustenance. We hunt for c

Public Safety committee  I know that many of the first nations in our region in Saskatchewan are occupying the field for several outfitters for, you know, permits. The chief and council will [Technical difficulty—Editor] so much permits, now weighing in with guns.... We're occupying the field and each na

Public Safety committee  When it comes to the handling of guns, it's more of a customary practice. For example, you would be gifted a gun. Even traditionally, if someone were going to be a chief, it would be a gun in a blanket. Guns are handed down, just like in your family. Like I say, the problem we

Public Safety committee  According to my briefing notes, I don't see what we define as “consultation”. At FSIN, for example, we have a consultation policy that is very inclusive—chiefs, councils, and communities. I would thus have to say no. I know that consultation has always been the issue here and th

Public Safety committee  Yes, absolutely. I think that whenever there is a potential infringement, we have treaty rights protection tribunals that watch very carefully whenever transgressions or issues like this come up. Yes, it's eyes wide open.

Public Safety committee  I really don't see how laws are going to change the gang culture. It's there. It's going to be there until we deal with the root causes—poverty, education, housing. There are social and economic issues that could be focused on, but I don't believe restricting guns is going to sto

Public Safety committee  Thank you for making that point. You really have to look at this from a lens. In our first nations community, we know our people, and I think we work hard to put an end to child and family violence. When you look at the hunter.... I'm coming from a perspective where you put food

Public Safety committee  I think the infringement, first of all, on our treaty and inherent rights, the treaty right to hunt.... I'm around hunters all the time. I just don't see how gang issues come into, you know, restricting hunters from hunting. When you're part of a gang, it's lawless.

Public Safety committee  They're not following the rules anyway.