Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Canada is a huge country. There are ten provinces and two territories. April 1, 1999, a new territory will be created of Nunavut and we are speaking today on Canadian unity. What I would like to say is that Quebec, Quebec would like to separate. I would like to say something on that. They are speaking of a referendum so they could separate. We are trying to gather all the information about how Canadian citizens feel about Canada.
There are many lands in Canada. Canada is the envy of a lot of people. They respect Canada and Canada is a good place to raise your children. I have travelled overseas and I am anxious to return to Canada. When I return to Canada, I am overjoyed to come back. The Northwest Territories is a good place to live but there are many things that we have to work at yet. It is only by working together that we can overcome these difficulties. (Translation ends)
Canada is a very good place to live, although there are problems within our country, and I would like to believe that in Canada, we try to resolve our internal problems. That requires cooperation and coordination internally to try to resolve the existing outstanding problems we are trying to deal with. With that in mind, one of the major objectives of the NWT Resolution is to make sure that aboriginal people and their rights and interests are recognized. From the NWT's prospective, a key element of promoting national unity and preserving the federation is recognizing the aboriginal character of Canada. This means that aboriginal people were the first to inhabit and govern this country and they have special land, treaty and self-government rights that are protected by the constitution to date.
Recognition also means that aboriginal people and their governments or organizations need to be part of any process relating to national unity and the strengthening of this federation. On November 18th, the Premier and I attended the meeting between premiers and national aboriginal leaders representing the Assembly of First Nations, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, the Metis National Council, the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada and the Native Women's Association of Canada. The aboriginal leaders were very forceful and effective in making a case for aboriginal involvement in the current national unity process. As a result, Premiers agreed that a framework prepared by the aboriginal leaders to govern the relationship between the aboriginal governments and peoples in the federal, provincial and territorial governments should be referred to the national unity application processes. Agreement was also reached to hold aboriginal, federal, provincial and territorial meetings to discuss social issues relating to aboriginal peoples.
Finally Premiers agreed to support an Aboriginal First Ministers' Meeting to address the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. The framework presented by the national aboriginal leaders is a far reaching document dealing with the need for aboriginal people and their governments to work in partnership with federal, provincial and territorial governments. Aboriginal leaders said this partnership must be based upon the primary judicial obligations of the Government of Canada to aboriginal peoples, the inherent right of self-government and the recognition of aboriginal and treaty rights.
The Special Committee anticipated early in its mandate that the reference in the Calgary framework to aboriginal people as one part of Canada's gift of diversity would not be supported nationally or in the Northwest Territories. The Resolution being recommended to the Assembly gives more profile to the status of aboriginal peoples as the founding nations of this country and recognizes their right to self-government. The Resolution reflects the input we received in responses to questionnaires about the Calgary framework. While most Northwest Territories' residents were satisfied with the way in which aboriginal issues were addressed in the Calgary framework, this support was qualified. Many people felt that an Assembly resolution needs to put more emphasis on the aboriginal characteristics of Canada and their rights and interests guaranteed in the constitution.
The Special Committee also gives special consideration to receiving reaction from the Northwest Territories aboriginal leadership. Although Aboriginal Summit leaders felt that our process is too rushed, they preferred some amendments to the National Unity Resolutions which the Special Committee has agreed to.
The leader of Nunavut Tunngavik supports the Assembly's Resolution as well as the Dene of the Deh Cho First Nation and as a Canadian, I firmly believe that the aboriginal characteristics of Canada are an essential element of the national unity package. I also believe that the Northwest Territories can play a strong role in ensuring that aboriginal characteristics of Canada are reflected in the national unity package. Finally, I agree with the Premier, that we have to move early and quickly to have maximum effect on the resolutions of other jurisdictions. In my constituency, many residents have said that they do not want to see Quebec separate. They have also said that all people and all governments including Quebec and aboriginal nations need to work together for our future generations.
I also heard that the Calgary framework does not accurately reflect the historical and contemporary status of aboriginal people in Canada. Aboriginal people are unique in this country because they were the first to inhabit and govern what is now Canada. This is why aboriginal peoples have special rights under the Canadian constitution. Dene and Metis people have struggled a long time to get where they are today and I am pleased that the Northwest Territories Resolution recognizes the struggle and their special rights and status.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in this House to speak about how they and their constituents feel about our great country and to unanimously support in the vote of the National Unity Resolution before the House today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause