Procedure and House Affairs committee  I would be. Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Naqvi, I would add that I think a lot of what we might be looking for are the security and the enforcement of indigenous rights through the particular space that's proposed to be the expansion of the parliamentary precinct so that our presence will always be within it. I think Chief Jocko would agree that there's a special relationship between the Algonquin nation and Canada itself and having the building right across from Parliament is right in the heart and the seat of federal power.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I can begin. Certainly I don't represent everyone, but I know there's a plurality of viewpoints within indigenous communities and even amongst the Algonquins. I have relatives who supported the convoy as well, but that support eventually waned and they were irritated by, I guess, the ongoing occupation.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's the situation I would anticipate and would hope to avoid. I was there on the evening in late June—June 28 or 29, perhaps—in anticipation of, on July 1, Canada Day, erecting the ceremonial teepee for the 150th anniversary of Canada. A number of us—not me—were detained by the RCMP and the Parliamentary Protective Service.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, if you don't mind. I'm foreseeing some of the issues that would come up, and I think that it would only be in very extenuating circumstances. Ideally we'd like to have a liaison officer who would be, not necessarily 100% devoted as part of their full-time equivalency, but would communicate with Algonquin political authorities or what have you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm happy to answer that. The particular site was negotiated with the Crown back in July 2019 for our presence there. Nevertheless, the entire region was settled where the three rivers meet. The Rideau River comes in with the Gatineau River and the Kitchissippi, which is the Ottawa River, to the sites around Parliament.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Fergus. I believe that the Algonquins are very amenable. Quite a few projects have been advanced across the city of Ottawa, working with the municipality and the provinces. I know that Chief Jocko has worked on that quite a bit. It's not that we would hold up things.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I don't believe so. I'm a citizen of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan, and Chief Jocko is my chief on chief and council. She represents one of the chiefs of—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Right. Chief Jocko is very good about reaching out to the citizenship for consultations. We would have received information packages. We receive them weekly for information that the chief and council seek input on. I don't believe I have. I would defer to her, but as a citizen, normally no, I haven't, not from any of the authorities themselves from our nation.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I might defer to our political leadership right now, but I'm happy to provide any kind of information, say, on the historical importance of various sites around the area as well.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think a little more of an extensive consultation with the wider Algonquin Anishinabe nation, so Chief Jocko and her council as well as the.... Because, despite this being in Ontario, and we're the only status first nation of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation in Ontario, there are nine others in Quebec where title is vested in the nation.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you and good afternoon. I won't be saying as much as my chief did. I'm grateful for her. She is quite eloquent and I underscore her service to the nation in the military and those from the Algonquin nation who did likewise, including my grandfather. I've had two grandfathers who served in the military, as did my father.