Robert Morrissey

“Madam Speaker, I was listening to my colleague’s speech, but at one point I lost focus. I wonder whether he really believes what he is saying, particularly when he mentioned that the government is going to set up an indigenous council to tell us whether the first nations deem projects to be socially acceptable. That was not the spirit of the archaic Indian Act. We do not like the name, but it did grant the right to consult with first nations. What happened with the nuclear waste storage project at Chalk River? That is an example of a recent project that has been put on hold after being challenged in the Supreme Court by first nations, including the Kebaowek First Nation in my region. They argued that they were not consulted and that the project threatened species at risk. What happened to that project? When it was built, first nations had to be consulted. The Algonquins of Ontario were consulted, but that association is not even recognized by first nations themselves. The Algonquins or Anishinabe do not recognize this association. It is associated with “pretendians”, people who identify as indigenous because they are of mixed heritage. There are no formally recognized Métis. Furthermore, Bill C-53 was dropped by the House. Is that the sort of indigenous organization that will be given the power to override first nations’ right to be consulted? This sets a dangerous precedent, and if it means that projects like the one at Chalk River get approved, I am out.”