Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, unfortunately, this is more common than a lot of people realize. In the North, many years ago, the federal government actually went around and assigned people new names because they could not write or pronounce the aboriginal names of people in the Territories. At least, that is what has been said. I have had that told to me as well. In the Mackenzie Delta, there was a commission that went around and gave individuals English names. That can be very difficult now to try to go back to some of those. But the process we will have established once this comes into force, it will clarify how that can be done in changing back to the person's name, the birth name they were given. Their aboriginal name as well would be looked at. As for the actual process of what support could be in place, we would have to work that out in the transition plan of what is available. If it goes back to what we can do with the federal government or whose responsibility it is, well, obviously, with the federal government setting that up and going around and having people's names changed, it was very difficult. I think, in the existing system, with the old act in place and having to go to court, it is very difficult when you are from a small community, isolated, trying to get all of the pieces lined up so you can provide the documentation and go before the court, pay the fees and follow through in that process. It makes it quite difficult. This process would make it a bit easier. There still needs to be some documentation, but it would make it a bit easier and the process simpler to go back to that person's original name. Thank you.
Floyd Roland on Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on August 16th, 2007. See this statement in context.
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
August 15th, 2007
Page 362
See context to find out what was said next.