Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:

That, in accordance with rule 10-11(1), the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs be authorized to examine the subject matter of Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, introduced in the House of Commons on May 19, 2022, in advance of the said bill coming before the Senate;

That, for the purposes of this study, the committee be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be sitting or adjourned, with the application of rules 12-18(1) and 12-18(2) being suspended in relation thereto;

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 13, 2024; and

That the committee be authorized to deposit its report with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, provided that it then be placed on the Orders of the Day for consideration at the next sitting following the one on which the depositing is recorded in the Journals of the Senate.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Honourable senators, I’d like to speak briefly — though not as briefly as George Baker — at third reading of Bill S-16, the Haida Nation Recognition Act. This legislation is an important step forward in the ongoing process of recognizing and realizing Haida rights.

[English]

In accordance with a tripartite agreement reached last year between the Haida Nation and the governments of British Columbia and Canada, Bill S-16 would recognize that the Haida Nation holds inherent self-governance rights, that it is governed by the Council of the Haida Nation, and that it is a legal entity with all related privileges and liabilities.

Haida representatives travelled all the way from Haida Gwaii to be here in the gallery in February when this bill was introduced. Afterward, in the Senate foyer, they joined the federal and provincial ministers, as well as their member of Parliament, at a press conference underlining the bill’s importance to them.

The tripartite agreement requires both provincial and federal ratifying legislation. The British Columbia bill was adopted almost exactly a year ago, in May 2023. So, the Haida have been waiting since then for a federal bill to pass.

In fact, they’ve been waiting much longer. At committee in April, the President of the Council of the Haida Nation said there’s a written record of Haida leaders telling federal officials in 1913 that they had:

. . . never ceded, surrendered, signed a treaty or been defeated in war, and that all the Haida Gwaii is Haida territory. . . .

As Senator Martin noted at committee, “. . . you’ve waited a long time.”

[Translation]

This is absolutely true, and the Haida will have to wait even longer after the Senate passes this bill, because it will still have to be studied and passed in the other place.

All the more reason to complete third reading in the Senate as soon as possible.

[English]

Clearly, the Haida Nation is watching us. In recent days, their President wrote this in an email received by all senators:

We understand that the conclusion of the Senate process is close, and we look forward to Bill S-16 moving to the House of Commons for final approvals. Haawa (thank you) for your ongoing commitment to moving our work forward together in a respectful and timely manner. This has been a long time in coming for both the Haida Nation and for Canada.

Colleagues, I think that’s their polite way of reminding us that the Indigenous Peoples Committee finished clause-by-clause consideration almost a full month ago, and they would like us to get on with it.

We’ve certainly had a lot on our plate in this chamber recently, but I hope that we can meet the Haida Nation’s expectation and pass this bill very soon.

I extend my thanks to Senator Greenwood for being an able and dedicated sponsor, and to all the committee members for their work as well.

At committee, the Haida president explained that the term for reconciliation in the Haida language literally means, “people working together to make things right.” In that spirit, I invite all honourable senators to join me in supporting Bill S-16.

Thank you,

Háw’aa.

(On motion of Senator Martin, debate adjourned.)