Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to respond briefly to a couple of comments that were raised by Mr. Nerysoo. He raised a very good point that it is critical that we get out, and explain what is in the package. In that sense, the Metis National Council, as I mentioned, has this "yes" committee, we are going to be travelling to communities, our
Member organizations are going to be travelling to communities, and they are going to be explaining the details of this package.
Also, all of the federal parties, the liberals, the conservatives, and the N.D.P. have joined together with a national "yes" committee, and they are putting together "yes" committees at local constituency levels. They are going to be doing the same thing as you would in any federal election campaign. They are going to get out and knock on doors, they are going to send information to peoples houses, precisely for that reason, it is so important that people get the information. He is quite right, that we have to have this information get out and not be threatening people.
My comments, related to the severe circumstance that we are in, are not meant to be threats, but I am very alarmed, as I hope all responsible people in Canada would be, at the polling results that are coming out. Clearly there are far too many Canadians, right now, who do not feel favourably about this package. Now, I do not think it is only up to us, to ensure that we provide the information about what is in the package and good for us, but I think it is also up to us, to be speaking clearly about the alarming consequences if this package does not get through.
I want to say, that we know, the Metis National Council knows full well, what happens when constitutional discussions come to a grinding halt. You are off of the agenda. So, for aboriginal people, all of our aspirations will come to a grinding halt in constitutional terms, if this package is not concluded. We are not going to have the recognition of self-government in our Constitution, we are not going to have an agreement that will provide for self-government agreements in the future, we are not going to have the impetus that we have built up so far, and we are going to have constitutional constipation. We are going to have a situation in Canada where people are going to be wondering what are we going to do. What are we going to do in a country, where we have said "no" to a package of constitutional amendments that are as Ovide Mercredi had said, a step forward. They are not a step backward. We know that, they are a step forward. If we do not seize the opportunity to step forward, then what, we certainly know that in one province in this country, the intention of the people in opposition there, who would then be very victorious, it is to not make any steps forward, but many, many steps backward. That will hurt us all, it will have consequences, grave, serious consequences for us all.
We think that the package has wonderful things in it for Canada, and that is why we think we ought to get out and sell it. Also, we have to stop and think, what happens if we say "yes". Think about the future, if we say "yes". On October 27, we can say to ourselves we have a lot here that we can build on and we can move forward, and that is what we want to do.
The other comment that I wanted to make was about all groups being treated equally. Many Members in this House will know, that the record of the Metis Nation, and the Metis National Council, is trying to ensure that all aboriginal peoples were treated equally. When the federal government first started providing core funds, the Native Council of Canada, which I was President of at that time, fought to ensure that there would be some funds set aside, so that Inuit Tapirisat of Canada would be able to get off the ground. I am sorry that Mr. Arvaluk is not here, because he would remember full well that we took, the Metis, that initiative.
We stood side by side with all aboriginal groups in 1987, when we said "no", because we did not feel that the constitutional amendments being proposed at that time were good enough. We stood with the Assembly of First Nations and the other aboriginal groups at that time. Since 1987, where have the Metis been, where they have been for more than 100 years, in the backwaters of everybody's mind and getting absolutely nowhere. We would like to see everybody being treated equally, that is why we have supported, and fought for, the changes that are in the Constitution, because they will then ensure that the Metis are going to be treated equally.
In the Northwest Territories, in terms of your negotiations that are going on, rather, in a couple of claims areas, I ask you this, is it possible for the Metis to say, well no, we are not going to negotiate a claim, we are going to go for treaty land entitlement.
You know full well that it is not possible for the Metis to go for treaty land entitlement. There is no equality, the Metis have to fight to get to the level of being equal, and that is what we are doing. The Metis Nation Accord helps us achieve that level of equality. It ensures that, in Canada's Constitution, there is a recognition that the federal government has an equal jurisdiction to legislate for Indians, Inuit and Metis.
That is what the Metis Nation Accord will do. It will give us a measure of equality on which we can then negotiate. I just wanted to add those comments, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, very much.