44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 23, 2023
- 03:36:43 p.m.
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I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to the 84th meeting of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Pursuant to the Standing Orders, today's meeting will be in a hybrid format. Therefore, there are no screenshots, photos or recordings allowed now that we're in session. I won't go over all the virtual stuff, because Michael and Anna hopefully know what we're doing now and have enough experience there.
Before we jump into the first session today, I'd like to remind members that all amendments, including subamendments, must be submitted in writing and sent to our committee clerk. The deadline we established is November 29. That's coming up soon. Should you wish to propose amendments, please send the legislative counsel Alexandra Schorah your written instructions. She will ensure amendments are drafted in the proper legal format.
Today, we're continuing with our study of Bill C-53, an act respecting the recognition of certain Métis governments in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
For our first panel, I'd like to welcome Cassidy Caron, president, Métis National Council. Joining President Caron is her counsel, Alexandria Winterburn.
We need the approval of the committee to have non-speaking supports join main witnesses at the table. I am going to ask for unanimous consent to have Ms. Winterburn join Ms. Caron at the table today. Because Ms. Winterburn is appearing as legal counsel, we can't direct questions to her. We can ask Ms. Caron technical legal questions. She may need to consult with Ms. Winterburn and report back, so it's a bit of an oddity in terms of how we're structured in the committee. That's how it goes.
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Chair: Thank you for that.
Welcome to the table as well, Ms. Winterburn.
We're going to get right into it. We have a five-minute opening statement.
Ms. Caron, whenever you're ready, the floor is yours. Then we'll move into our rounds of questioning.
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- 03:44:06 p.m.
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Thank you so much for your opening statement.
I have to say, as someone born and raised in Saskatchewan, that I've been to Batoche many times. It's an absolutely amazing place, and I look forward to being able to visit again sometime in the future.
With that, we're going to get into our rounds of questions.
I should have mentioned at the beginning that I have a quick visual card system. This means that 30 seconds are left on the clock, and the red means that time's up. Don't stop mid-sentence, but wind up your thoughts so we can get on to the next round of questions.
I have Mr. Schmale first on my list for six minutes.
The floor is yours.
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- 03:50:42 p.m.
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Very briefly, if you could give a one-sentence answer.... If this side would like to carry on with this line of questioning, they can come back to it.
An hon. member: The old chair would have given two sentences.
The Chair: We're a tight ship here. It's one sentence and then we're going to this side.
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- 03:51:06 p.m.
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Thank you so much.
We're going to go now to Mr. Battiste for his six minutes.
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- 03:56:02 p.m.
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- 03:56:54 p.m.
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- 03:56:58 p.m.
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Thank you.
We're now going to Madame Bérubé.
Welcome, Ms. Bérubé.
You have the floor for six minutes.
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- 04:02:35 p.m.
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There are 30 seconds left.
Thank you, Ms. Bérubé.
We will now go to Ms. Idlout.
When you're ready, you will have the floor, for six minutes.
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- 04:08:54 p.m.
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That takes us to the end of the first round.
We are going into a slightly shorter and faster second round.
First, I have Mr. Vidal for five minutes.
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- 04:14:02 p.m.
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Thank you.
We'll now go to Ms. Atwin.
You have five minutes on the clock. The floor is yours.
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- 04:19:37 p.m.
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Thank you.
We're going to go now to Madame Bérubé for two and a half minutes.
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- 04:23:11 p.m.
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That's the end of the two and a half minutes.
Next I will go to Ms. Idlout for her two and a half minutes.
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- 04:26:09 p.m.
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Colleagues, we do have time for the final part of this round, which is five minutes for this side and that side.
We'll jump right now to Mr. Schmale for five minutes.
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- 04:31:34 p.m.
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I'd say be brief, please, with a couple of sentences, and then we do need to move to our final questioner.
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- 04:31:50 p.m.
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Thank you.
Now we'll go to Mr. Battiste for the final five minutes of this panel.
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- 04:36:13 p.m.
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Okay. I'll stop the clock there.
Thank you, President Caron, for so much of your time and for being here.
Thank you, Ms. Winterburn, for joining us.
Colleagues, we're going to suspend now. We need to switch to the next panel, including a quick sound check for Mr. Abram.
Mr. Abram, if you're ready to go, we'll get your camera on and the clerk will be in touch with you.
Colleagues, for the next minute or two, we're going to suspend. We'll pull you back in as quickly as we can get the sound check done.
The meeting is suspended.
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- 04:41:08 p.m.
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I call the meeting back to order.
Unfortunately, we lost our online witness. We're trying to track him down and get him back. He was here and then he was gone.
We're going to get started with Mr. Gladue. Mr. Gladue is here from my home province of British Columbia, and he is the regional director of the Métis Nation British Columbia.
Mr. Gladue, it's wonderful to have you here. When you're ready to start, we'll turn the floor over to you for your five-minute opening statement.
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- 04:47:45 p.m.
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Thank you so much for your opening statement.
Colleagues, we do have Grand Chief Joel Abram back from the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians.
I am going to have to suspend while we do a very brief sound quality check. When we return, Grand Chief Abram will get into the opening statement right away.
We're suspended.
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- 04:50:37 p.m.
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We are resuming the meeting.
The quality is right on the edge of where we need it to be. Please speak very clearly and slowly. If we need to push the five minutes to allow that, we will do so, but not a lot beyond that.
For both Mr. Gladue and yourself, I use a card system. The yellow card is for when we have 30 seconds left in the allotment, and then the red card signals that we are out of time. You don't have to stop mid-sentence. You can wind up your thought, and we'll move on to the next person.
Now that we're back in session, I will say that no screenshots or photos are allowed.
When you're ready, Grand Chief Abram, the floor is yours for your five-minute opening statement.
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- 04:57:13 p.m.
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Thank you for your opening statement, Grand Chief Abram.
We're going to go right into our first round of questions.
For six minutes at first, I have Mr. Zimmer.
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