Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank Mr. Erasmus and Mr. Paulette for participating and for being frank.
There has been a recurring concern by first nations that have participated as witnesses about the extinguishment and release of rights to the land. Because so many specific claims are based on the illegal disposition of reserve lands, I actually have two questions about that for you. One has to do with the process itself.
If a claim is rejected for negotiation, it can then be put forward for tribunal process consideration. But the process says that the minister has three years to decide whether to accept or reject a claim. If there is no response from the minister after three years, then it is deemed rejected and there is the opportunity to take it to the tribunal.
Do you feel that there is too much power in the hands of the minister in terms of this whole issue of the land? It seems to me that it puts in the minister's hands the power to decide which claims are going to be negotiated with a possible settlement of land and which claims are going to be deemed rejected and have to go to the tribunal for monetary compensation only. That's one question: Do you feel that there's too much power in the hands of the minister in that regard? And do you have a suggested amendment on the issue of the land and this concern about extinguishment? Those are my two questions.