Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2014-05-01 12:50:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Hon. Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul's, Lib.)",
        "fr": "L'hon. Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul's, Lib.)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"3689162\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, according the departmental documents, Bill <a data-HoCid=\"6433980\" href=\"/bills/41-2/C-25/\" title=\"An Act respecting the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band Order\">C-25</a> would enable the Governor-in-Council to implement the agreements reached between Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians to create a landless band for the Qalipu Mi'kmaq people.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689163\" data-originallang=\"en\">The Liberal Party believes this legislation is actually focused on unnecessarily restricting the legal rights of individuals to pursue damages flowing from the band's troubled enrolment process.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689164\" data-originallang=\"fr\">When Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949, the Mi'kmaq communities were not recognized as first nations under the Indian Act.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689165\" data-originallang=\"en\">This left many indigenous people in Newfoundland with uncertain legal status and robbed them of the same benefits and recognition first nations in the rest of Canada were and are entitled to.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689166\" data-originallang=\"en\">Talks to rectify this uncertainty have occurred on and off ever since, and in 1989 the Federation of Newfoundland Indians commenced a legal action to obtain recognition for Mi'kmaq individuals. The most recent phase of discussions to rectify this injustice began in 2002, culminating in an agreement in principle signed in 2007.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689167\" data-originallang=\"fr\">The 2007 agreement proposed specific terms for the recognition of membership in, and operation of, the future Qalipu Mi\u2019kmaq First Nation. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689168\" data-originallang=\"en\">Canada ratified the agreement in principle in 2008. Unfortunately, the Conservative government badly mismanaged the negotiations and implementation of membership criteria. Initial estimates of likely band membership were approximately 10,000 to 12,000 individuals. The enrolment committee has now received 103,000 applications. This unexpected volume of applications led to a huge amount of confusion, and has left the government scrambling to manage open-ended criteria to which it originally agreed.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689169\" data-originallang=\"en\">In the summer of 2013, the federal government and the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation band raised a supplemental agreement which adjusted the guidelines used to implement the membership criteria. These new guidelines were designed to make it more difficult to meet the enrolment criteria, and all applications are being reviewed under the new guidelines.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689170\" data-originallang=\"en\">This has led to numerous rejections and left many who had applied under the original criteria very disgruntled with the process. In fact, this review could result in individuals who have already been granted membership in the band losing their status. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689171\" data-originallang=\"en\">The Liberal Party recognizes that both the agreement and supplemental agreement flow from a nation-to-nation process that must be respected. However, it is unclear whether the bill is actually required to implement these agreements and, as I noted before, half of the bill is actually focused on limiting the government's potential liability for mismanaging this process. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689172\" data-originallang=\"en\">It should be stressed that the federal government has been intimately involved in both designing and implementing the enrolment process. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689173\" data-originallang=\"en\">Clause 4 of the bill provides that no one may receive \u201cany compensation, damages or indemnity\u201d from any entity, including the crown, because of being removed from the schedule to the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation band order. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689174\" data-originallang=\"en\">The government, in a process that has been mired in confusion and controversy, is now asking parliamentarians to prejudge whether applicants may be entitled to compensation for any mismanagement or the impacts of the retroactive changes to how the membership criteria are being interpreted.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689175\" data-originallang=\"en\">As we learned from testimony at committee, this legal indemnification was not requested by the band and is not something it is looking for. It is clear that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development badly underestimated the number of applications that would be put forward during the membership process, relying extensively on measures of self-identification of indigenous heritage. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689176\" data-originallang=\"en\">This is particularly puzzling, given that we know that generations of prejudice and marginalization induced many in Newfoundland to hide their indigenous heritage. As a result, whole family histories have been buried.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689177\" data-originallang=\"en\">Whether damages are appropriate in specific cases is matter that is more appropriate for a court to decide. A judge will have the benefit of the facts on each particular case or class of cases.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689178\" data-originallang=\"en\"> It is unacceptable for the minister to use legislation to insulate his department from possible damages using a bill that he claims is simply to implement the agreements reached with the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and more recently the Qalipu First Nation.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689179\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pre-emptively removing access to legal damages that an individual would be otherwise entitled to, flowing from an enrolment process that has been the subject of such confusion and controversy, is simply wrong. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689180\" data-originallang=\"en\">That is the reason the Liberal Party of Canada will be voting against Bill <a data-HoCid=\"6433980\" href=\"/bills/41-2/C-25/\" title=\"An Act respecting the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band Order\">C-25</a>.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"3689162\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, selon les documents du minist\u00e8re, le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"6433980\" href=\"/bills/41-2/C-25/\" title=\"An Act respecting the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band Order\">C-25</a> conf\u00e8re au gouverneur en conseil le pouvoir de mettre en \u0153uvre les accords sign\u00e9s entre le Canada et la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration des Indiens de Terre-Neuve concernant la reconnaissance d'une bande sans assise territoriale pour la Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689163\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Le Parti lib\u00e9ral estime que ce projet de loi vise en fait \u00e0 limiter inutilement les droits des personnes qui s'estiment l\u00e9s\u00e9es par la proc\u00e9dure incoh\u00e9rente d'inscription \u00e0 la bande.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689164\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Lorsque Terre-Neuve est entr\u00e9e dans la Conf\u00e9d\u00e9ration en 1949, les communaut\u00e9s micmaques n'\u00e9taient pas reconnues en vertu de la Loi sur les Indiens en tant que Premi\u00e8res Nations.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689165\" data-originallang=\"en\">Un grand nombre d'Autochtones de Terre-Neuve se sont retrouv\u00e9s avec un statut juridique incertain, de sorte qu'ils ont \u00e9t\u00e9 priv\u00e9s des avantages et de la reconnaissance dont les Premi\u00e8res Nations ont b\u00e9n\u00e9fici\u00e9 et b\u00e9n\u00e9ficient toujours dans le reste du Canada.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689166\" data-originallang=\"en\">Apr\u00e8s plusieurs tentatives pour rem\u00e9dier \u00e0 cette situation, la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration des Indiens de Terre-Neuve a amorc\u00e9 des proc\u00e9dures judiciaires, en 1989, pour obtenir la reconnaissance des Micmacs. Puis, des n\u00e9gociations ont commenc\u00e9 en 2002 pour aboutir \u00e0 un accord de principe sign\u00e9 en 2007. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689167\" data-originallang=\"fr\">L'accord de 2007 a propos\u00e9 des termes sp\u00e9cifiques pour la reconnaissance de l'appartenance et l'op\u00e9ration de la future Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689168\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le Canada a ratifi\u00e9 l'accord de principe en 2008. Malheureusement, le gouvernement conservateur a mal g\u00e9r\u00e9 les n\u00e9gociations et la mise en \u0153uvre des crit\u00e8res d'appartenance. Au d\u00e9part, on estimait que 10 000 \u00e0 12 000 personnes en faisaient partie, mais le comit\u00e9 charg\u00e9 de l'inscription a re\u00e7u jusqu'\u00e0 pr\u00e9sent 103 000 demandes. Cette avalanche de demandes a suscit\u00e9 la plus grande confusion, si bien que le gouvernement a d\u00fb s'empresser de revoir les crit\u00e8res impr\u00e9cis qu'il a au d\u00e9part accept\u00e9s.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689169\" data-originallang=\"en\">\u00c0 l'\u00e9t\u00e9 de 2013, le gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral et la Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu ont sign\u00e9 un accord suppl\u00e9mentaire modifiant les lignes directrices utilis\u00e9es pour appliquer les crit\u00e8res d'appartenance, afin qu'il soit plus difficile de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 ces crit\u00e8res. Toutes les demandes sont d\u00e9sormais examin\u00e9es en vertu de ces nouvelles lignes directrices.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689170\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cela a abouti au rejet de nombreuses demandes, et ceux qui en avaient d\u00e9pos\u00e9 une alors que les anciens crit\u00e8res \u00e9taient en vigueur sont fort m\u00e9contents de la nouvelle proc\u00e9dure. En fait, il se peut que des personnes ayant obtenu leur statut de membre de la bande le perdent en raison de cette nouvelle proc\u00e9dure.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689171\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le Parti lib\u00e9ral reconna\u00eet que les accords initial et suppl\u00e9mentaire ont \u00e9t\u00e9 sign\u00e9s de nation \u00e0 nation, et que cela doit \u00eatre respect\u00e9. Cependant, nous ne sommes pas s\u00fbrs que ce projet de loi soit indispensable \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre de ces accords, sachant par ailleurs que la moiti\u00e9 de ses dispositions visent \u00e0 limiter la responsabilit\u00e9 potentielle du gouvernement pour son imp\u00e9ritie dans ce dossier.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689172\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il convient de rappeler que le gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral a particip\u00e9 \u00e9troitement \u00e0 la conception et \u00e0 la mise en \u0153uvre de la proc\u00e9dure d'inscription.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689173\" data-originallang=\"en\">L\u2019article 4 du projet de loi pr\u00e9voit que nul ne peut \u00ab r\u00e9clamer ou recevoir une compensation, des dommages-int\u00e9r\u00eats ou une indemnit\u00e9 \u00bb d\u2019une entit\u00e9 quelconque, y compris la Couronne, du seul fait de la suppression du nom d\u2019une personne \u00e0 l'annexe du D\u00e9cret constituant la bande appel\u00e9e Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689174\" data-originallang=\"en\">Suite \u00e0 un processus riche en confusion et en controverse, le gouvernement demande aujourd\u2019hui aux parlementaires de d\u00e9terminer \u00e0 l\u2019avance si les demandeurs ont droit \u00e0 une indemnisation pour la mauvaise gestion de ce dossier ou les r\u00e9percussions de l'application r\u00e9troactive des changements apport\u00e9s \u00e0 l'interpr\u00e9tation des crit\u00e8res d\u2019appartenance. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689175\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme nous l\u2019ont dit des t\u00e9moins en comit\u00e9, la bande n\u2019a pas r\u00e9clam\u00e9 d\u2019indemnisation, et elle n\u2019en demande pas. Il est \u00e9vident que le minist\u00e8re des Affaires autochtones et du D\u00e9veloppement du Nord a gravement sous-estim\u00e9 le nombre de demandes qui seraient pr\u00e9sent\u00e9es au cours de la proc\u00e9dure d'inscription, qui se fondait principalement sur l\u2019auto-identification de l\u2019appartenance autochtone. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689176\" data-originallang=\"en\">C\u2019est d\u2019autant plus surprenant que nous savons pertinemment que pendant des g\u00e9n\u00e9rations, les pr\u00e9jug\u00e9s et la marginalisation ont conduit bon nombre d\u2019Autochtones de Terre-Neuve \u00e0 cacher leurs origines, si bien que l\u2019histoire de ces familles a disparu \u00e0 jamais. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689177\" data-originallang=\"en\">C'est aux tribunaux \u00e0 d\u00e9cider si des indemnisations doivent \u00eatre accord\u00e9es dans certains cas. Un juge sera mieux plac\u00e9 pour examiner les faits pertinents \u00e0 chaque cas ou \u00e0 chaque cat\u00e9gorie de cas. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689178\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il est inadmissible que le ministre fasse adopter une loi pour prot\u00e9ger son minist\u00e8re contre des poursuites, tout en pr\u00e9tendant qu\u2019il s\u2019agit simplement de mettre en \u0153uvre les accords qui ont \u00e9t\u00e9 sign\u00e9s avec la F\u00e9d\u00e9ration des Indiens de Terre-Neuve et, plus r\u00e9cemment, avec la Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689179\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Il est fonci\u00e8rement injuste d\u2019emp\u00eacher une personne de r\u00e9clamer, comme c\u2019est son droit, une indemnisation suite \u00e0 une d\u00e9cision r\u00e9sultant d\u2019une proc\u00e9dure d'inscription caract\u00e9ris\u00e9e par la confusion et l\u2019incoh\u00e9rence. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"3689180\" data-originallang=\"en\">C\u2019est la raison pour laquelle le Parti lib\u00e9ral ne votera pas en faveur du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"6433980\" href=\"/bills/41-2/C-25/\" title=\"An Act respecting the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band Order\">C-25</a>.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2014/5/1/carolyn-bennett-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/carolyn-bennett/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/2631/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "8332152",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Government Orders",
        "fr": "Initiatives minist\u00e9rielles"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Act",
        "fr": "Loi concernant la Premi\u00e8re Nation micmaque Qalipu"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2014/5/1/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2014%2F5%2F1%2F"
    }
}