Treaty Land Entitlements
Hon. Mary Jane McCallum: Welcome, minister. Minister, in 2023, following two court decisions, both decided in favour of 14 Manitoba First Nations, negotiators for Canada proposed a comprehensive $3.5-billion settlement of the nations’ long-outstanding collective Treaty Land Entitlement claim. The First Nations accepted.
First Nations were advised that cabinet approval would be secured in early 2024. Minister, these First Nations are still waiting.
Will the minister today confirm that this government is committed to the proposed settlement and that it will immediately be put before cabinet for approval? I will ask for your brief response here today and a more fulsome response, including a status update from the government on the conclusion of this claim, in writing at your earliest convenience.
Hon. Gary Anandasangaree, P.C., M.P., Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations: Thank you, senator, for that question. Let me confirm that we have had a number of discussions that are without prejudice, and I don’t want to, at this point, confirm or deny any formal offer that was made because I believe it was all on a without-prejudice basis, senator.
I would be more than glad to offer a briefing to you in terms of where we are. Given discussions have not concluded, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment further.
Senator McCallum: Minister, your Fifth Annual Statutory Report (2024) touts the updated self-government agreements Canada signed in 2023 with the Métis nations of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.
It also references the stalled and highly contentious Bill C-53 on giving effect to treaties with those governments.
Minister, why is Canada implementing such agreements with these Métis nations when the government has failed to do due diligence on verifying and fundamentally understanding the identity of these Métis, especially when identity standards are so strict for First Nations that my own grandson is precluded from gaining his status?
Mr. Anandasangaree: Thank you, Senator McCallum, for that question. Bill C-53, as many of you are aware, is legislation that was introduced in the House of Commons, and, due to a number of reasons, including the Métis Nation — Saskatchewan pulling out as well as a court ruling in Alberta, the bill, essentially, is frustrated. So, we are back to the drawing board on that.
If I may comment on the issue of identity with respect to your grandson and many others who are impacted, I want to reiterate that we need to get to a point where the federal government no longer defines citizenship. It should be up to the nation to be able to define.