(Translation) Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I want to say one more thing under general comments. I made similar comments about a year ago when a Member talked about the anniversary of the Montreal massacre. I believe very strongly that if we are going to look at the fact the court system is unfair to women, then we must realize that it is most unfair to aboriginal women.
Aboriginal women have to deal with two sorts of biases, first, because they are aboriginal and second, because they are women. The courts use difficult legal language which is hardest on the aboriginal women who speak English as a second language. In a confusing legal aid system and in confusing policies related to criminal injuries and compensation we are the most unfair to the aboriginal women who lack the literacy to read about them.
The bias which exists within the R.C.M.P. attachments towards aboriginal people is just as real for aboriginal men.
Stereotypes are created which lead judges and many others to think that when rape occurs to an aboriginal woman it is different from when it occurs to a non-native person. Stereotypes and mistaken beliefs about our family values have resulted in unfair judgement within both the family courts the criminal courts. All these things happen to aboriginal women.
I have stated many times in this House that the real victims are the aboriginal women. I have to ask myself about situations like the one which occurred with Kitty Nowdluk Reynolds. I simply cannot believe that a white women would have been treated that way by the R.C.M.P. or the Crown. I cannot believe that if it was a white women, the R.C.M.P. Complaints Commission would treat her like a criminal and then take well over a year to come forward with the report. I believe strongly that it is the aboriginal women who are the most victimized with gender unfairness in the justice system.
I was disappointed that that message was not put forth in the special advisor's report. Mr. Chairman, another thing that I would like to talk about is the report that we are working on. I believe you said that people should be taught about the justice system. We are only taught about justice in the Dene way. Before that the native people were here, but we are not being taught about the native justice system. If we are going to be talking about the justice system, I think the aboriginal justice system should be touched on also. It has not been mentioned in the report.
The only justice system that seems to be used is the European justice system. I do not think it should be the only one. The way in which people existed and lived as a society, and how they resolved issues prior to the arrival of Europeans, should be taught to our young people. When young students are taught they are only given the white man's point of view. I think they should be taught about how the Dene people existed before the arrival of the white man.
The Inuit and Dene are having difficulty existing because they have to think in the white man's way. They also have to think their way of thinking. They are a little mixed up. This is why the Inuit and Dene are having problems, but this is not mentioned in your report. This is something which should be expressed too.