Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on June 17th, 2024

[Chief Sheldon Sunshine]

Yes, that's part of the issue that we have with it, because it's always a top-down approach.

In Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, we've always been like a little brother always asking for help, and this type of thing. I would like that to change, and have us at the table when we talk about source water. This legislation gives us jurisdiction on our lands, our Sturgeon Lake. The lake itself is not on reserve. It's just on the boundary. Then we're reliant on outsiders to decide what's best for our people. I don't agree with that—100% don't agree. Our territory spans an enormous amount of treaty territory, so when you talk about legislation, we have jurisdiction on Sturgeon Lake reserve lands. It's a huge discrepancy for our people.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Did the AFN have the same issues with the wording “best practices”, Chief Haymond?

[Chief Lance Haymond]

I don't really understand the question. I'm sorry.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

That's okay. Maybe I'll come back to it in just a second.

I need to quickly deal with this motion—and I do apologize to our witnesses—that was put on notice last week.

We're pushing through on Bill C-61, this piece of legislation, but we've also heard from a number of indigenous leaders in the past few weeks talking about the ongoing housing crisis in first nations and Inuit communities. We've now had our fourth straight Auditor General report talking about the failing state of housing for indigenous communities, first nations and Inuit, and I think it's important for us to continue that work right through the summer, if need be. It's something that I think these leaders are calling for, and it's something our committee should be looking at and taking seriously.

I will reread the motion. I move:

That, given the large workload and expansive mandate of this committee, the committee hold five meetings for a duration of 2 hours each between July 8 and September 13, to address housing on First Nations and produce a report with policy proposals to build more homes and solve chronic housing challenges on First Nations communities.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Thank you, Mr. Schmale.

We'll have discussion on this. I see that Mr. Battiste's hand is up.

The floor is yours.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Today I'd like to continue to focus on first nations' clean water.

I'd like to adjourn debate. I'm making a motion to adjourn debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

As this is a dilatory motion, we will proceed to a vote.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

To make sure everyone is clear on the motion, Mr. Chair, I think it's worth having the debate. Can we finish our hour with the witnesses and take advantage of the fact that we no doubt have resources for the second hour? I know it's not on the agenda, but that way, we could get to the bottom of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Mr. Lemire, we have resources until one o'clock, so we're going to continue.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Does voting for Mr. Battiste's motion completely cancel out Mr. Schmale's motion? Can we suspend debate, instead of adjourning it?

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

This would just adjourn debate for today. We could always pick it up at another time, but that's the motion that was moved by Mr. Battiste.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

In that case, I'd like to call on the committee's good faith to propose that we finish the second round and pick up the debate on the motion afterwards.

I can't vote in favour of adjourning the debate, if that is what we are voting on. If we are voting in good faith to revisit Mr. Schmale's motion at the end of the second round and he's given an opportunity to speak, I'm fine with that. That's what I'm proposing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Monsieur Lemire, the motion that we have on the floor right now is to adjourn the debate. I think we need to vote on that, unless it will be decided not to move ahead with it, but I believe we're doing it. I think we're going to go to a vote, and then we can discuss that afterwards if the motion doesn't pass.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Chair, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Go ahead on a point of order, Mr. Desjarlais.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I do believe that we owe a great debt to our witnesses present today.

Thank you so much for being here.

As a matter of clarification, to my Bloc colleague's question earlier about the procedures that would allow us to get to our witnesses, who travelled a great deal to be here with us, to finish our round, is it possible that our Conservative colleagues would be so gracious as to allow us the opportunity to continue this discussion on clean water with the earnest ability to come back to that motion? I understand that they've tabled it, but I also think it's important that we finish this round. I would propose unanimous consent to either finish this round or at least to have the Conservatives withdraw the motion for the time being so that we can offer our due respect to the witnesses who are present.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

It's my understanding that we have to deal with Jaime's motion first.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Could you both withdraw?

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

I'm willing to withdraw if we can get to the witnesses and finish the round.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

Is there unanimous consent for this motion to be withdrawn?

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Is it for both of them?

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

[Inaudible—Editor] voting on his motion directly, or else we're in debate right now. That's what's happening.

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Let's get to the vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Patrick Weiler]

We're going to go to the vote. We're voting on adjourning debate.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 4)

Thank you for that.

The debate is adjourned.

We will go back to Mr. Schmale.

You have another minute and a half on your time.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

I'm more than happy to take that.