Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand these new bills that are before us are amendments to the Charter Communities Act, the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, and the Hamlets Act. I have a problem with them, because of the area I come from. Earlier today I was on a telephone conference call with a number of chiefs in my area. I gave them the information and the reply was that they totally disagree with this bill, basically because they haven't been consulted.
You see, in my particular area of the Northwest Territories, we are still in dispute with the Government of Canada, which this governments gets delegated authority from. In regard to land, even though it is municipal land, the band sees those lands as theirs as well. Our legal advisor here says we are more or less clarifying the municipal government's powers. In fact, I see it more or less strengthening their powers over lands in the municipal area, although there is still a dispute in these communities in my area.
I understand what it does for the Nunavut area, this is part of the claim. Within three years after initialling, you have to have these powers in place. I understand that, but on the other hand, people from the Nunavut area have to understand that we are still in dispute.
This consultation took place in the major centres, like Yellowknife, but there are hamlets and villages in the other areas that this is going to affect, in my constituency. I find, at this point at time, that this is quite unfair. There is no protection for the majority of people I represent in this new bill. Perhaps there is in the charter communities one, clause two says that nothing in this act shall be interpreted so as to affect aboriginal rights. That is in the Charter Communities Act. There is some protection there, but there is nothing there for the Cities, Towns and Villages Act as well as the Hamlets Act.
So, the instructions I got today from community leaders is that they don't want to see this bill put forward until they are consulted and have their views on it. They weren't given that opportunity, that is the reason why I have some problems with this bill, at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.