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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 39
Thursday, November 17, 2022, 3:30 p.m. to 5:26 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Hon. Marc Garneau, Chair (Liberal)

House of Commons
• Aimée Belmore, Procedural Clerk
• Jean-François Pagé, Legislative Clerk
• Émilie Thivierge, Legislative Clerk
 
Library of Parliament
• Olivier Leblanc-Laurendeau, Analyst
• Marlisa Tiedemann, Analyst
Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
• Andy Garrow, Director, Planning and Partnerships, Reconciliation Secretariat, Policy and Strategic Direction
• Kate Ledgerwood, Director General, Reconciliation Secretariat, Policy and Strategic Direction
Department of Justice
• Seetal Sunga, Senior Counsel
Pursuant to the order of reference of Thursday, September 29, 2022, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-29, An Act to provide for the establishment of a national council for reconciliation.

The committee resumed its clause-by-clause study of the Bill.

By unanimous consent, the committee reconsidered the amendment of Marilène Gill previously adopted which read as follows: That Bill C-29, in Clause 12, be amended by adding after line 16 on page 5 the following:

“(2) The Council's board of directors must also, to the extent possible, include equal representation of women and men.”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.

Clause 12, as amended, carried.

Lori Idlout moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 13, be amended by adding after line 19 on page 5 the following:

“(2) To ensure that Indigenous views are heard in relation to the advancement of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the Council must consult with a variety of persons with relevant knowledge, expertise or experience, including elders, survivors of the discriminatory and assimilationist policies of the Government of Canada and Indigenous law practitioners.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Lori Idlout and it was agreed to.

Clause 13, as amended, carried.

Clause 14 carried.

Clause 15 carried.

On Clause 16,

Pursuant to the order adopted by the committee on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-29, in Clause 16, be amended by replacing line 1 on page 6 with the following:

“16 (1) The Government of Canada must disclose to the Council any information that is relevant to the Council's purpose within 30 days after the day on which a request for such information is made by the Council.

(2) The Minister must, in collaboration with the Council,”

By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.

Gary Vidal moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 16, be amended by replacing line 1 on page 6 with the following:

“16 The Council must”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Gary Vidal and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Marilène Gill, Eric Melillo, Jamie Schmale, Gary Vidal, Bob Zimmer — 5;

NAYS: Jenica Atwin, Jaime Battiste, Lori Idlout, Michael V. McLeod, Marcus Powlowski, Patrick Weiler — 6.

Patrick Weiler moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 16, be amended

(a) by replacing line 1 on page 6 with the following:

“16 (1) Within six months after the day on which the Council is incorporated, the Minister must, in collaboration with the Council,”

(b) by adding after line 4 on page 6 the following:

“(2) The protocol must allow for the fulfilment by the Council of its purpose.”

At 4:12 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:24 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Marilène Gill moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “must allow for the fulfilment by the Council of its purpose.” with the words “must allow the Council to receive all the information it judges relevant to fulfill its mission.”

At 4:32 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:39 p.m., the sitting resumed.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — That the subamendment be amended by adding after the word “allow” the following: “, to the extent possible,”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Patrick Weiler, as amended, and it was agreed to.

Clause 16, as amended, carried.

On New Clause 16.1,

Pursuant to the order adopted by the committee on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-29 be amended by adding before line 5 on page 6 the following new clause:

“16.1 The Minister must, within six months after the end of each financial year, submit to the Council an annual report setting out

(a) a comparison of the number of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in care, the reasons for their apprehension and the total spending on preventive and care services by child-welfare agencies;

(b) a comparison of the funding for the education of Indigenous children on and off reserves;

(c) a comparison of the educational and income attainments of Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons;

(d) the progress made on closing the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in a number of health indicators, such as infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services;

(e) the progress made on eliminating the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in youth custody;

(f) the progress made on reducing the rate of criminal victimization of Indigenous persons, including data related to homicide, family violence and other crimes; and

(g) the progress made on reducing the overrepresentation of Indigenous persons in the justice and correctional systems.”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Elizabeth May and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Jenica Atwin, Jaime Battiste, Marilène Gill, Lori Idlout, Michael V. McLeod, Marcus Powlowski, Patrick Weiler — 7;

NAYS: Philip Lawrence, Eric Melillo, Jamie Schmale, Gary Vidal — 4.

On Clause 17,

Gary Vidal moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 17, be amended

(a) by replacing line 5 on page 6 with the following:

“17 (1) The Council must, within three months after the”

(b) by replacing line 20 on page 6 with the following:

“(3) Within 60 days after the day on which the report un-”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Gary Vidal and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Marilène Gill, Lori Idlout, Philip Lawrence, Eric Melillo, Jamie Schmale, Gary Vidal — 6;

NAYS: Jenica Atwin, Jaime Battiste, Michael V. McLeod, Marcus Powlowski, Patrick Weiler — 5.

At 5:02 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:03 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Pursuant to the order adopted by the committee on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the following amendment, submitted by Elizabeth May for the consideration of the committee, was deemed moved:

That Bill C-29, in Clause 17, be amended

(a) by replacing line 6 on page 6 with the following:

“end of each financial year, submit to the Prime Minister an an-”

(b) by replacing line 16 on page 6 with the following:

“(2) The Prime Minister must cause a copy of the report to be”

(c) by replacing line 21 on page 6 with the following:

“der subsection (2) is laid, the Prime Minister must, on behalf of”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Elizabeth May and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: — 0;

NAYS: Jenica Atwin, Jaime Battiste, Marilène Gill, Lori Idlout, Philip Lawrence, Michael V. McLeod, Eric Melillo, Marcus Powlowski, Jamie Schmale, Gary Vidal, Patrick Weiler — 11.

Gary Vidal moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 17, be amended by replacing line 13 on page 6 with the following:

“sures to promote, prioritize and coordinate”

The question was put on the amendment of Gary Vidal and it was agreed to.

Gary Vidal moved, — That Bill C-29, in Clause 17, be amended by replacing line 21 on page 6 with the following:

“der subsection (2) is laid, the Prime Minister must, on behalf of”

The question was put on the amendment of Gary Vidal and it was agreed to.

Clause 17, as amended, carried.

Clause 18 carried.

Clause 19 carried.

Clause 20 carried.

On Preamble,

Lori Idlout moved, — That Bill C-29, in the preamble, be amended by adding before line 1 on page 1 the following:

“Whereas, since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have thrived on and managed and governed their Indigenous lands;

Whereas, since the arrival of settlers and colonization, Indigenous peoples have experienced assimilationist policies, which must be addressed through reconciliation;”

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Lori Idlout and it was agreed to.

Jaime Battiste moved, — That Bill C-29, in the preamble, be amended by adding after line 20 on page 1 the following:

“Whereas reconciliation requires the revitalization and celebration of Indigenous languages;”

The question was put on the amendment of Jaime Battiste and it was agreed to.

Lori Idlout moved, — That Bill C-29, in the preamble, be amended by replacing line 25 on page 1 with the following:

“the progress being made towards reconciliation, including in relation to respect for and the protection and promotion of the rights of Indigenous peoples, in all”

The question was put on the amendment of Lori Idlout and it was agreed to.

Gary Vidal moved, — That Bill C-29, in the preamble, be amended by replacing lines 2 and 3 on page 2 with the following:

“ing through the provision of information re-”

The question was put on the amendment of Gary Vidal and it was agreed to.

The Preamble, as amended, carried.

Clause 1, Short Title, carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill, as amended, was adopted.

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

ORDERED, — That Bill C-29, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House of Commons at report stage.

At 5:26 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Vanessa Davies
Clerk of the committee