AANO Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development met in camera at 8:46 a.m. this day, in Room C-160, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, Bruce Stanton, presiding.

The Chair presented the Sixth report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure which reads as follows:

Your Subcommittee recommends:

That the Hon. Vic Toews, P.C., M.P., and the Hon. John Duncan, P.C., M.P., be invited to appear on May 5, 2011 on the review of the Main Estimates.

That the meetings of the month of April and of May 3 and 10, 2011, be dedicated to Bill C-575 and that the following witnesses be invited to appear:

-Auditor General of Canada

-Office of the Information Commissioner

-Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

-Canadian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and/or Chartered Accountants of Canada

-National Centre for First Nations Governance

-Canadian Bar Association

-Frontier Centre for Public Policy

-Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation

-Fraser Institute

-Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada

-Assembly of First Nations

-Quebec Native Women Inc.

-Atikamekw Nation Council

-Innu Nation

-The Algonquins Anishnabeg Nation

-Huron Wendat Nation Council

-Whitecap Dakota First Nation

-Muskeg Lake First Nation

-Membertou First Nation

-Makwa Lake First Nation

-Marcel Balfour, Norway House Cree Nation

-Leo Paul, Onion Lake First Nation

-Darlene Meguinis, Tsuu T'ina Nation

-Guy Lariviere, Canoe Lake First Nation

-Jo-Ann Nahanee, Squamish Nation

-Brian Smith, Glooscap First Nation

-Frank Dixon, Sechelt Indian Band

-Perry Bellegarde

-Felix Thomas

That clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-575 be scheduled for May 10, 2011.

That the Committee travel to Iqaluit for two days in June 2011 to present the report entitled “Northerners’ Perspectives for Prosperity” in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut and to meet with various stakeholders to follow up on the implementation of the Nutrition North Canada Program.

That the Six Nations of the Grand River be invited to appear before the Committee for a two-hour meeting in May or June 2011, and that they be given time for a computer-assisted presentation on the review of the specific claims tribunal process.

That the Assembly of First Nations appear in May or June 2011 on the review of the specific claims tribunal process.

That the Committee ask Mr. Wernick, Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, to clarify his March 10, 2011, testimony.

It was agreed, — That the report be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the Clerk take the necessary steps to have the Inuktitut translation of the “Northerners' Perspectives for Prosperity” report revised.

At 8:52 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 8:54 a.m., the sitting resumed in public.

Margaret Melhorn and Chris Forbes made statements and, with George Schoenhofer, answered questions.

Dennis Bevington joined the witnesses and answered questions.

It was agreed, — That the letter from the Premier of the Northwest Territories submitted by Dennis Bevington during his testimony be translated into French and distributed to the members of the Committee.

Greg Rickford moved, — That the Committee, before proceeding to the clause-by-clause study of Bill C-530, ask the Auditor General of Canada to appear before the Committee as part of its study on the bill and that the letter submitted by Dennis Bevington be distributed to the members of the Committee.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee commenced its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

The Chair called Clause 1.

Clause 1 carried by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

Clause 2 carried by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

The Title carried by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

The Bill carried by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 5.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill to the House.

At 10:27 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.