Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Aboriginal Peoples
Issue 9 - Evidence
OTTAWA, Tuesday, May 2, 2000
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples met this day at 9 a.m. to organize the activities of the committee.
Senator Jack Austin, P.C., (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: Honourable senators, I call the meeting to order so that we can proceed with the business of the committee. The first item of business is my resignation as chairman of the committee.
I want to thank all colleagues for their hard work and support during our hearings on Bill C-9. It was fascinating, and it is now behind us.
The committee was commended in the media for its thoroughness and openness. It was compared favourably to the process in the House of Commons and in the provincial legislature. The Senate received a good play in British Columbia for the work that we did. It was much appreciated, at least for the way we went about it, the time we took and the process we used.
This committee is very much on the map in British Columbia. The Nisga'a legislation has raised the profile of this committee very high. I will tell honourable senators that there are expectations that we will continue with that good work as the treaty process in British Columbia continues. That process is being revved up. There is news in British Columbia about a new process with respect to B.C. treaty negotiations.
There is plenty of work for this committee to do. I am happy to turn the Chair over to my successor. Honourable senators, I herewith resign. I call upon our clerk to hold an election to find a chairman for this committee.
Ms Jill Anne Joseph, Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, it is my duty to oversee the election of a new chairman. I am now ready to accept motions.
Senator Watt: I nominate Senator Chalifoux.
Ms Joseph: If there are no other nominations, is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to accept the motion that Senator Chalifoux take the Chair?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms Joseph: Senator Chalifoux, will you take the Chair, please?
Senator Thelma Chalifoux (Chairman) in the Chair.
The Chairman: First, I should like to thank you all for having the confidence in me to become Chair of this committee. I only hope that I can carry on with the fine work that has been done up until now.
I should like to thank Senator Austin, who did an excellent job in extremely difficult circumstances. I want to compliment him on the work that he has done. I am quite happy that he took over chairmanship of the committee when he did. Had it been me, it would have been an initiation by fire. Thank you very much, Senator Austin.
We will now proceed in camera to discuss the future business of the committee.
The committee continued in camera.