Lac la Ronge Band frustrated by MP Rob Clarke actions
- EFN Staff | December 23, 2014
The Federal Government has been sending our press releases crowing about how great they are in passing Bill C-428 the Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act. But according to Chief Tammy Cook-Searson of the Lac la Ronge Indian Band, they are frustrated the Bill passed and that First Nations had no input on the Bill because they weren’t consulted. All this even though the Bill was brought forward by Rob Clarke, the Member of Parliament from Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River, the MP for the First Nation.
“From the beginning, we have called for the withdrawal of this bill,” says LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson. “We want real input into the laws that govern us, not unilateral Private Members Bills.” Cook-Searson says they have only heard updates on what is happening with Bill C-428 from the news media. “We would hope that our representative in the Federal government would actually represent us,” she stated. “That there would be an attempt to work with us on the issues that we, collectively, agree are priorities for the communities we represent, and how we can together move forward on these issues.”
The Band is asserting that the laws of Canada, through the Supreme Court, require consultation and accommodation of First Nations people. One hundred and thirty eight years after the first Indian Act was created without First Nations involvement, MP Rob Clark proceeded with his Private Members Bill C-428 to amend the Indian Act without proper consultation of First Nations people. As the largest First Nation in his constituency, Clarke did not follow the guidance of the Supreme Court to consult with LLRIB for input into Bill C-428. As such, the LLRIB opposes this bill.
“There needs to be changes to the Indian Act,” Chief Cook-Searson emphasized, “But the enormity of its tragic history for First Nations people demands that First Nations people decide together how and what those changes will be.”
Bill C-428 received Royal Assent in the Senate Tuesday December 16, 2014 in the evening. Royal Assent is the final stage before a bill becomes law. The Bill will require band councils to publish their by-laws and repeals certain outdated provisions of the Act. It also requires the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to report annually to the House of Commons committee responsible for Aboriginal affairs on the work undertaken by his or her department in collaboration with First Nations and other interested parties to develop new legislation to replace the Indian Act.
In addition to removing outdated provisions of the Indian Act, Bill C-428also give First Nations greater responsibility over day-to-day affairs, such as the enactment and coming into force of bylaws. It also repealed all references to residential schools as well as removing unnecessary schools-related provisions from the Indian Act.
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