Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, on the development of the action plan, we started as soon as the bill was passed; however, the pandemic didn't help matters in the past year. We've nearly completed the action plan. The alignment of laws is really what we're working on right now, especially on child welfare.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, I think those issues need to be worked out by themselves. A year ago we had a meeting that was to look at overlap in shared territories but was cut short because everybody was in lockdown right in the middle of that meeting. Our people have to address these issues on our own.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. I think self-determination, our own sovereignty, is our ability to make our own decisions. I think that's really what is recognized within the United Nations declaration— our human rights and our indigenous rights to govern ourselves. Whether it's the colonial construct of chief and council versus our own, I think at some point we're going to have to reconcile those ourselves.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, I think what you're speaking of are some of the projects that existed pre Bill 41. Sadly, it isn't retroactive in terms of the decisions that were made many years ago. Rather, it's forward looking. This being a bill that was born out of Bill C-262—and certainly we appreciate Romeo Saganash's work on this private member's bill—I really believe that this is a place where we can change that relationship in terms of recognizing human rights, indigenous rights and our ability for our sovereignty and self-determination.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  This would complement Bill 41, which is already law here in British Columbia, and all we've seen is benefits from passing the law here in British Columbia with certainty and predictability within the industry. The B.C. Business Council and the Federation of Labour amongst many other federations out there already support Bill 41.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can go first, I suppose. I suppose what the declaration does is that it changes the relationship with all levels of government. Really, we have already been through many court cases. We have been through social disruption. We have been through the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think you know that UNDRIP is a recognition of the human rights of indigenous peoples, but ultimately what the Tsilhqot’in identified was that title exists. First and foremost, in terms of free, prior and informed consent, it really demonstrates that no government has a veto. This is what I stated when I spoke in the legislature of British Columbia in Victoria when we passed the bill, that within the declaration there would be a space created where all governments would come together and we would make the decision together in terms of identifying the best way forward, whether it's yes, no or whatever, for any development project.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mahsi cho. [Witness spoke in Dene] [English] Members of Parliament, first of all, I want to acknowledge the territory that I am on, the Lheidli T'enneh Dene people of the Dakelh territory near Prince George, British Columbia. I want to also acknowledge the territories that you are broadcasting or attending this meeting from: that they are indigenous lands and have always been indigenous lands since time immemorial.