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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 138 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, November 4, 2014 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 9137 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, November 4, 2014 The House met at 10 a.m. The Speaker: I have not heard anything that would constitute a point of order, yet. The member for Winnipeg North was about 20 seconds into his speech. I know over the last few days, some of his colleagues have reminded him about the rules of relevance, and I Prayers have confidence that today he will do his best to speak to the subject matter of the sixth report. As the member for Burnaby—New Westminster has pointed out, the motion to concur stands in his ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS name as well, so I think that is something we can all point to as a sign of optimism. Ï (1005) [English] I will give the floor back to the hon. member for Winnipeg North. COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE As he points out, he has the right to speak to the motion, and he has ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT about 19 minutes and 40 seconds left to do so. Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP) moved that the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, it is said that an image is Northern Development, presented on Friday, May 20, 2014, be worth 1,000 words. Seeing the face of the New Democratic House concurred in. leader when you made reference to the fact that we were— Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as in the past, I would ask my New Democratic friends, as much as possible, in order to facilitate concurrence motions, to provide some The Speaker: The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay is notice. rising on a point of order. Mr. Peter Julian: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, this motion is actually in the name of the member for Winnipeg North. I assumed Mr. Charlie Angus: Mr. Speaker, I rise on an issue of relevance. he had actually read the report that is before the House, because he He has not spoken except to throw insults. If he has something to say actually moved concurrence on this particular report. Therefore, it on the motion for concurrence in the committee report, he should should not be a surprise. Since he moved concurrence on this report, speak on it rather than wasting the time of the House. I ask you, Mr. he should have at least read it. Speaker, to go back to your ruling about the relevance of what he Mr. Ted Hsu: Mr. Speaker, I want to clarify as I am trying to should be talking about. following along. Are we referring to the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development The Speaker: I think members have had the opportunity to entitled, “Subject Matter of Wills and Estates”? Could I confirm express their frustrations in the last few minutes, through points of that? order. I would ask the hon. member for Winnipeg North to resist the The Speaker: That is correct, yes. The subject is wills and estates. temptation to continue to do so and speak to the subject matter of the It is the sixth report. sixth report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. Then I think the House's patience will not be further tested. The hon. member for Winnipeg North is now responding to the point of order. Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, I think it is most Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, I can assure members that I inappropriate for the NDP House leader to seem to want to disrupt am somewhat familiar with the report. One of the things we should my right to address the House on a wide variety of important issues, start off with is a letter that was provided to the committee chair. I and we have seen this over the last couple of days, know there are some nervous Nellies in the New Democratic fold, so I will cite some specifics coming from a letter that was addressed to I was maybe 30 seconds into my comments before he was up on the committee. It is on an important issue dealing with wills and his feet, eager to cause confusion among members of the House of estates, which is the name of the report itself, and I ask that members Commons. I would ask, with all due respect, that I be allowed to be patient because it is a somewhat lengthy letter, but it is something deliver my comments without interruption by the NDP House leader. that is important to share at this time. 9138 COMMONS DEBATES November 4, 2014 Routine Proceedings It is important to recognize that the Government of Canada would working with the many different strong personalities within our first like to thank the members of the standing committee, which is a nations and aboriginal communities. general acknowledgement, for its study on the report entitled “Wills and Estates”, tabled on May 30. That is when it was brought forward In the letter addressed to us, we find that the government to the minister, which was months ago. The report identifies a acknowledges that the land is often the most valuable asset in an number of key issues and challenges that were raised by a number of estate, and through the enactment of other recent legislation, the witnesses. I understand there were about seven witnesses, give or government has taken steps to improve conditions for individuals on take, who actually made presentations at committee. reserves affected by wills and estates—for example, the Family I am sorry to disappoint the member; he seems very eager to Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, which stand. will be fully enforced on December 16. It is happening very quickly. This seeks to provide basic rights and protections to individuals on The committee met to discuss the issue through to April 29, so it reserves, including upon the death of a spouse or common-law has been a long time of waiting before we have come to the stage of partner, regarding the family home and other matrimonial interests or concurrence, where we are today. I suspect if history has anything to rights. It would also enable first nations to develop their own do with what is going on, it will likely happen here after I have matrimonial real property law, subject to ratification by their finished providing some comments. No doubt I will be the only members. speaker, in all likelihood, but I do not want to limit. In fact I would encourage others to participate, especially if they are moving that the Members of the House will be very much aware of the Liberal report be concurred in. Members might really want to consider Party. I almost said “official opposition” and at times we feel as if we contributing to the debate. are the only opposition inside the House. The government states, through the chair, that it is trying to build capacity and autonomy for first nations to improve well-being and Some hon. members: Oh, oh! provide first nations with self-determination, such as the expansion of the First Nations Land Management Act, the Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act, and the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Mr. Kevin Lamoureux: The members laugh, Mr. Speaker. If they Governance Act, which have recently received royal assent. allowed standing committees to meet, maybe we would be able to do a bit more on accountability, quite frankly. We need to recognize that the issue of our first nations people is something that has been a challenge for the government to ensure The Liberal Party has consistently advocated for progressive fair representation in terms of what their interests and their will legislation. On the whole issue of marital rights, this is a piece of would be and how effective the government is in working with our legislation with which we had a great deal of concern. I know even I first nation communities. We have found the government to be very had the opportunity back then to be able to voice some concerns lacking, to be honest. There is a lot more that the government could about the legislation. I was, quite frankly, very disappointed that the be doing in terms of working with our first nations to build a government took the approach that it did in regard to the assets. consensus, as opposed to what has been a typical style of the government in dealing with our first nation issues, which is to act as opposed to work with our first nation leadership. At the end of the day, the Conservatives try to take the line that they are just trying to ensure that there is equal assets distribution Over many years, as a parliamentarian, I have been afforded the and so forth. They try to simplify an issue that is very complicated. It opportunity of visiting reserves and just having caucus discussions was obvious that the Conservatives were pushing this legislation and meetings with many different first nation leaders and aboriginal through. If only they were to consult with the first nations, as we did communities. I think we are selling them short. The government is in opposition. I can assure members of the fine work that the first missing a real opportunity to make a very strong, tangible difference nations critic from the Liberal Party did in terms of consultation and in not working with the leadership and trying to build a consensus.