National Post (National Edition)
CLOCK IS TICKING ON KEY LEGISLATION
Add to that the recognition of rights framework that never materialized, the new consultations on the Trans Mountain pipeline, the recent decision to move widely respected Jane Philpott from the Indigenous services department to the Treasury Board and to replace her with former veterans affairs minister Seamus O’Regan.
“They’ve been masters of promising everything but not delivering at the end of the day,” said NDP reconciliation critic Romeo Saganash. “I hope people will have understood by now. This has been going on for 150 years.”
For Russ Diabo, a First Nations policy adviser, all signs suggest that reconciliation is no longer top of mind for this government. “The treatment of Jody Wilson and her demotion, and moving Philpott and all of these things, it all signals that the government is shifting its priorities and Indigenous issues aren’t up there.”
But many people are still hopeful. Pierre said the Indigenous languages act, tabled in Parliament last month, is a “glimmer” of a real nation-to-nation relationship between the government and Indigenous peoples.
“That hope is still there,” John said. “But now we don’t have a champion on the inside anymore.”
For some, Wilson- Raybould’s departure may not signal a blow to reconciliation so much as a shift to something a little quieter, a little more resolute.
“I personally do not feel that reconciliation is dead,” said Moran, “because so long as there remains one single person that holds within their hearts the idea of a fair and just and equitable country… that fire of reconciliation is still burning.”
Still, it feels like a very long time since Wilson-Raybould left her first cabinet meeting in 2015 and told reporters how “honoured and privileged” she felt.
“Who gets the opportunity as a woman, as an Indigenous person, to hold the position of attorney-general of Canada?” Saganash said. “Not too many people can be in that position. She was. And now she’s gone.”
On Thursday, the day after Wilson-Raybould appeared before the justice committee, O’Regan tabled the government’s long-awaited Indigenous child welfare legislation, which would affirm Indigenous jurisdiction over child and family services in an effort to reduce the number of Indigenous children in foster care.
At the announcement, flanked by Bennett, Philpott, national Indigenous leaders and Indigenous MPs, O’Regan insisted to reporters that the SNC controversy will have no impact on reconciliation. “Today is proof positive of that,” he said.
If there was concern about what Wilson- Raybould’s resignation means for the government’s relationship with Indigenous peoples, it was not on display that day. “Reconciliation is real, and we’re going to move forward with this prime minister for as long as he’s the prime minister and with this government as long as they do form government,” said Métis National Council president Clément Chartier.
But there was concern of a different sort. The government has tabled its child welfare and Indigenous languages bills with just weeks to go in the last legislative sitting before an election, leaving little time for the new laws to get through the House and Senate by June.
When he stepped forward on Thursday, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde gave his own definition of reconciliation, a thinly veiled ultimatum for a government that promised the moon.
“Reconciliation will mean that these two very important pieces of legislation get adopted for royal assent,” he said. “We have four months. That’s what reconciliation will look like.”
RECONCILIATION WILL MEAN THAT THESE TWO VERY IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION GET ADOPTED FOR ROYAL ASSENT. WE HAVE FOUR MONTHS. THAT’S WHAT RECONCILIATION WILL LOOK LIKE. — FIRST NATIONS NATIONAL CHIEF PERRY BELLEGARDE