Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Rachel. I really appreciate it, and I, too, want to acknowledge my brother, Jeffry, here and the tremendously difficult story that he had to talk to us about. I'm a residential school survivor as well, so I really feel that connection to the issue that you ra

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you. As you know, I was in Geneva when the UN declaration was being negotiated. I was there for many years. I understand the context in which it was developed and the reasons the provisions are the way they are. There are 46 articles in the declaration. There are 23 preamb

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's a very good question. It is one that will be in the forefront of all of our people's minds, about the transitions that are required. In British Columbia, we have 23 delegated agencies and 204 first nations, which is roughly one-third of all first nations in the country. We

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, committee members. I'd like to acknowledge the Algonquin people as well, and their traditional homelands. We're from the same organization in British Columbia, so I won't go into that background. I do want to mention that on submitting this

Canadian Heritage committee  There are some really important statements in here about language plans. These are essential and are going to be required. Territory-wide plans and community development plans are always essential. I'm thinking, if I understand your question, it's more around how, through the na

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. As I said, the only example that I can point to right now is where the department, Indigenous Services Canada, has direct, bilateral agreements with every first nations community to provide funding to that community for education, for example, not through some other source l

Canadian Heritage committee  I completely agree with that. Thank you.

Canadian Heritage committee  I think so. If the resources are there.... If you recall, a number of years ago there was a significant amount of federal funding available. It was cut to a bare-bones minimum of around $5 million a year, I believe, for all indigenous peoples in Canada, which was crazy. With re

Canadian Heritage committee  To me, it's more of a secondary issue than a priority issue. My perspective has always been on community. That's where the challenges are, and that's where ultimately the solutions lie. It's the grandmas, grandpas, moms and dads who teach us today. Twelve years ago, my father pa

Canadian Heritage committee  Certainly I do. I think that research that is required should be directed through the first nations community. I'm talking first nations here, the indigenous communities, whether they be Métis, Inuit or first nations. From a first nations perspective, the research should be large

Canadian Heritage committee  Maybe I'll just add to the earlier comment that I made. In paragraph 24(1)(b) in particular, there's “the use of Indigenous languages...for the purposes of measuring the vitality”. In this country, people throw their arms up when they see fish endangered, birds endangered or plan

Canadian Heritage committee  It needs to be done. I think so. To list them would be a constructive step.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. I think we should get it right and get it done. As I read the bill, there is a good foundation for our communities to be able to build what is necessary. In and of itself, the legislation will not answer the questions that we have or the concerns that we have. What we need

Canadian Heritage committee  The purposes of the legislation are generally fairly broad. The important provision in the bill is clause 6, dealing with rights related to indigenous languages, talking about Canada recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples, and speaking to article 35. I agree with the noti

Canadian Heritage committee  I'm just getting started. The information that I wanted to speak to is in black and white, but in English. I'm sure it can be translated for you into French, for those who speak only French, or who are bilingual, which is a luxury we don't have for indigenous languages. There a