Ginette Lavack

Mr. Speaker, artists and art leaders from across Canada are in Ottawa today for the Canadian Arts Coalition's annual arts day on the Hill. I am proud to represent St. Boniface—St. Vital, where arts and culture are an integral part of our identity. From the 100-year-old Théâtre Cercle Molière to WAG-Qaumajuq, our cultural institutions bring us together, tell our stories and help us understand one another. This year's theme of building a stronger and more united Canada through arts and culture reminds us that the arts create jobs, sustain our communities and help us share our stories with the world. At a time when telling our own stories in our own voices matters more than ever, a strong arts and culture sector is essential to who we are as Canadians. I thank the Canadian Arts Coalition and all the artists and cultural workers here today for enriching our communities and our country.

Madam Speaker, my colleague has rightly pointed out that there are already mechanisms dealing directly with treaty implementation, yet our modern treaty partners have continued to identify gaps in the implementation of these treaties. They themselves at committee have been telling us, and asking us for independent oversight. Does that not suggest that the issue is not simply the number of bodies that exist, but whether there is independent accountability when governments need to act and fail to act?

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Québec Centre today. It is with gratitude and respect that I rise at the third reading of Bill C-10, the commissioner for modern treaty implementation act. This bill represents a meaningful opportunity to respond to indigenous advocacy, honour constitutional obligations and advance reconciliation in a way that is practical, measurable and grounded in partnership with modern treaty governments. Modern treaties form part of Canada's constitutional architecture. They define rights, establish shared decision-making and set out how indigenous, federal, provincial and territorial governments will work together. Modern treaties create co-management boards, regulatory pathways and clear authorities over land, water, wildlife and resources. They provide predictability for major projects. They strengthen sovereignty in the Arctic and open the door to economic opportunities for modern treaty communities and for Canada as a whole. This is what reconciliation looks like when it is lived and not only discussed. Modern treaty partners have been clear and consistent: The most important step Canada can take right now is to strengthen accountability for implementation. That is exactly what this legislation would do. The commissioner for modern treaty implementation would be an independent agent of Parliament, someone with the mandate, the expertise and the authority to keep sustained attention on this important work. Agents of Parliament provide important accountability mechanisms. When agents of Parliament issue reports, whether moderately critical or sharply consequential, departments respond, awareness increases, priorities shift and problems get fixed. That is how accountability takes root. The commissioner would bring that same dynamic to modern treaty implementation. With access to information powers comparable to those of the Auditor General, the commissioner would be able to conduct performance audits, do reviews and examine key challenges in treaty implementation. They would be able to look at individual treaties and crosscutting issues across the entire modern treaty landscape. They would be able to identify opportunities for systemic improvements, highlight best practices and recommend ways to overcome challenges. One witness at the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs offered a powerful cultural image: the traditional practice of raising a totem pole to call attention to someone who has not upheld their responsibilities. The point was visibility, ensuring that commitments are honoured. The commissioner would play a similar role by bringing clarity to where obligations are being met and where they are not, reinforcing the seriousness of Canada's commitment to modern treaty communities. This is how modern treaty implementation can improve: through clarity and accountability. Another theme that emerged clearly during the examination of the bill at INAN was the need for consistency across successive governments and federal departments and agencies. Modern treaties are long-term agreements that must endure beyond election cycles and shifting political priorities. Modern treaties are complex. They require public servants who have a strong awareness and understanding of modern treaty commitments and obligations, as well as the spirit and intent of those agreements, and the practical realities of working in partnership with indigenous governments as equals. During INAN's study of Bill C-10, Nicole Rempel from K'ómoks First Nation; Grand Chief Paul John Murdoch, Cree Nation Government; and Brianne Paulin, legal counsel, Nisga'a Lisims Government noted that inconsistent interpretations across departments remain one of the biggest barriers to effective implementation. An independent commissioner with expert knowledge could help ensure that the understanding of the spirit, intent and legal obligations of modern treaties remain consistent, even as governments change. As Canada increases its focus on issues like major projects and Arctic security, government institutions will need a deeper understanding of modern treaty rights and jurisdictions. Within the broader modern treaty landscape, the commissioner could serve as a tool to help drive greater consistency in how departments understand and act on their modern treaty obligations, including those not traditionally involved in indigenous relations. Troy Sam, the chief councillor for Kitsumkalum Band Council, noted at INAN that public reporting to Parliament changes the accountability dynamic, making implementation visible, measurable and subject to scrutiny. In this way, the commissioner would support better governance on all sides, clarifying expectations, reinforcing standards and encouraging federal departments to approach treaty obligations with a more coordinated, whole-of-government approach. This is how culture change takes hold. It is through consistent attention on key issues, education and public reporting to help guide the government's response. By providing independent analysis through views and performance audits, by reminding governments of their obligations and by ensuring that unilateral or cross-governmental actions do not undermine the treaty relationship, the commissioner would strengthen the stability and predictability that modern treaties were designed to provide. Reconciliation requires us to look honestly at the past, act responsibly in the present and build a future grounded in respect and partnership. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission reminds us that to build for the future, we must learn from the past. That includes acknowledging the harm caused by federal policies designed to suppress indigenous cultures and assimilate indigenous peoples. It also includes recognizing the intergenerational trauma that those policies created and understanding that reconciliation is not a single act but a multi-generational journey. Modern treaties have been one of the most effective tools for moving that journey forward. They support self-determination, they reduce reliance on colonial legislation like the Indian Act, they create real opportunities for indigenous participation in the broader economy, they help build generational wealth and they strengthen the nation-to-nation, government-to-government and Inuit-Crown relationships that are essential to Canada's future. The commissioner could help ensure that these agreements are implemented in a way that reflects their spirit and purpose. That is reconciliation in action. Some have asked why this work cannot simply be done by existing institutions. The answer is clear: Modern treaties are unique. They are constitutional agreements with complex, crosscutting obligations that span dozens of departments. They require specialized knowledge, sustained attention and a mandate focused solely on implementation. The Auditor General plays a vital role, but their mandate is broad. They cannot provide the continuous, treaty-specific oversight that partners themselves have asked for. The commissioner would fill those gaps. As Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga'a Lisims Government, said at INAN, the commissioner is the missing piece. It is the mechanism that ensures the ecosystem of tools Canada has created actually leads to cultural change inside government. By supporting the implementation of modern treaties, this legislation would help create the conditions for success. It would reflect a true co-developed approach to developing solutions made in partnership with indigenous peoples. It would strengthen trust, it would strengthen transparency and it would be another step toward strengthening the relationship that underpins economic opportunities across the country. I want to close by acknowledging the leadership of the indigenous governments that have guided this work. Their clarity, their patience and their determination have shaped this legislation. They have shown us what partnership looks like, and they have shown us what it means to build a relationship that lasts. Passing this legislation would help make sure that Canada lives up to its modern treaty obligations, its objectives and, most importantly, its relationships. It would help us be a better treaty partner, and it would help us build a future grounded in respect, in partnership and in the full implementation of the agreements that bind us together. I urge all members of the House to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, the commissioner's role is to be an independent body with oversight over treaties. They are there to do the reporting and provide recommendations, but also to ensure that any recommendations are implemented by the various departments. Many of these treaties will cross a multitude of departments, which will have responsibilities to ensure the proper implementation of them. The role of the commissioner is oversight and reporting, and the role of the various ministries and departments is to implement changes and ensure the proper fulfillment of obligations.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and welcome him back to the House. I really appreciated the opportunity to work with him on the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. To answer his question, I would say that, although other institutions do exist to ensure the implementation of treaties, we heard very clearly from first nations members that there was a lack of implementation because there was a lack of ongoing oversight. Although we have the Auditor General, their mandate is too broad. We need somebody who can provide support and exert pressure on all the departments involved in this issue. We need to ensure that there is follow up. Only by being consistent, over and over again, will we be able to ensure that there is movement and that we make progress. I would say that it is really by focusing on treaties through an independent commissioner that we will be able to make progress on this file.