Hon. Leo Housakos: Minister, your government recently enacted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP, which incorporates a constitutional duty to consult Indigenous peoples while you consider measures that might adversely impact potential or established Aboriginal or treaty rights. Yet earlier this week at our committee studying Bill C-11, we heard from the Aboriginal People’s Television Network, APTN, that they weren’t invited to appear before the House committee when it was studying the bill, despite their request to do so, despite your claim this bill will protect minority voices and culture and despite UNDRIP. Minister, why are you not upset at the government’s failure to live up to its own obligations to Indigenous peoples under UNDRIP?

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Minister, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP, incorporates a constitutional duty to consult Indigenous people when you consider measures that might adversely impact the potential for established Aboriginal or treaty rights.

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network said they weren’t invited to a House committee when studying this bill, despite their request to do so. I can only assume from that, minister, that they were not consulted.

Minister, are you upset about your government’s failure to consult? Did you consult the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network before you introduced this bill? And if not, why not?