Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I get into my Member's statement, I would like to inform the House that I am going to be out of the House on Tuesday to Thursday for personal issues. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, during my visit to the communities of Fort Liard and Wrigley, the chiefs were questioning why the GNWT is charging members or looking at charging band members who have traditional cabins $840 per year. This goes against Treaty 11. The chiefs were able to share with me the Report of The Commissioner for Treaty No. 11, dated October 12, 1921. The author of the report was D.C. Scott, Esquire, Deputy Superintendent General, Department of Indian Affairs. This report was done by the deputy superintendent who helped bring forward Treaty No. 11.
In the report, there are a number of quotes I would like to share: "I had several meetings with them (Providence Indians), and explained the terms of the treaty. They were very apt in asking questions, and here, as in all the other posts where the treaty was signed, the questions asked and the difficulties encountered were much the same. The Indians seemed afraid, for one thing, that their liberty to hunt, trap and fish would be taken away or curtailed, but were assured by me that this would not be the case, and the government will expect them to support themselves in their own way, and, in fact, that more twine for nets and more ammunition were given under the terms of this treaty than under any of the preceding ones; this went a long way to calm their fears."
A second one: "Also, the said Indian rights, titles and privileges whatsoever to all other lands wherever situated in the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories or in any other portion of the Dominion of Canada. To have and to hold the same to His Majesty the King and His Predecessors forever.
His Majesty the King hereby agrees with the said Indians that they shall have the right to pursue their right vocations of hunting, trapping, and fishing throughout the tract surrendered as therefore to subscribe, subject to such regulations as may from time to time be made by the Government of the Canada acting under the authority of His Majesty, and saving and excepting such tracts as may be required or taken up from the time of settlement, mining and trading or other purposes."
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask unanimous consent to finish my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
