Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Aboriginal Peoples

Issue 52 - Minutes of Proceedings - April 11, 2019

OTTAWA, Thursday, April 11, 2019
(117)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples met this day at 1:02 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Lillian Eva Dyck, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Christmas, Coyle, Dyck, LaBoucane-Benson, Lovelace Nicholas, McCallum, McPhedran, Pate and Tannas (9).

In attendance: Brittany Collier and Marlisa Tiedemann, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

The chair informed the committee of the unavoidable absence of herself later in the meeting, and of the unavoidable absence of the deputy chair. The clerk presided over the election of an acting chair.

The Honourable Senator Laboucane-Benson moved:

That the Honourable Senator Christmas be the acting chair.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, the committee continued its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-92, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families.

WITNESSES:

Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3:

Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief.

Nlaka'pamux Nation Tribal Council:

Debbie Abbott, Executive Director;

Ardith Walkem, Barrister and Solicitor.

Atikamekw Nation Council:

Constant Awashish, Grand Chief, Chair of the Atikamekw Nation Council.

As an individual:

Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond, Director, Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, Professor of Law, University of British Columbia (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Kavanaugh, Ms. Abbott and Ms. Walkem each made a statement and answered question.

At 2:01 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:10 p.m., the committee resumed, the acting chair, the Honourable Senator Christmas, presiding.

Mr. Awashish and Ms. Turpel-Lafond each made a statement.

At 2:28 p.m., the chair, the Honourable Senator Dyck, took the chair.

At 3:15 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:21 p.m., the committee resumed in camera, pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 28, 2019, to continue its examination of the subject matter of Bill C-91, An Act respecting Indigenous languages. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 50.)

Pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee considered a draft report.

It was agreed that senators' staff be permitted to remain in the room for the in camera portion of the meeting.

It was agreed to permit audio-recording of the in camera portion of the meeting, and that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members or staff present, and that the audio-recording be destroyed by the clerk when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of the parliamentary session.

At 4:07 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mireille K. Aubé

Clerk of the Committee