Thank you, Mr. Chair and honourable members of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. Sekon, skano!
Before I start, I would like to acknowledge that Grand Chief Steven Bonspille from Kanesatake is with the witnesses. He didn't get a chance to get his name on the list. I just wanted to make that point.
My colleague chiefs have asked me to make this statement on behalf of the caucus.
In prehistoric times, the Iroquois formed a confederacy to assure peace, unity, and cooperation among five nations. We are referred to as the Five Nations Confederacy and then the Six Nations or the Iroquois Confederacy.
Our original homelands stretch from the Niagara region in the west as far as Quebec City in the east. Our people are still living in many communities throughout our territory. We still carry on intercommunity trade as we always have. The Iroquois Confederacy is both a military and a sovereign political ally of the British and the Americans. We've never given up our sovereignty, nor have we willingly ceded our land and territories. We still hold and exercise our original rights and freedoms.
Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Akwesasne, Tyendinaga, Wahta, Six Nations of the Grand River, and Oneida of the Thames are the communities of the Iroquois Confederacy. Although we are separated by distance, we recognize that we are one people who share a common identity, common responsibilities, and our own system of law and government. Among our member communities, we have four of the five largest reserves in Canada. The elected councils of our communities have united in a political forum known as the Iroquois Caucus, and we represent the interests of our combined population of more than 60,000 people.
We have tried to have our issues and views presented through other processes and organizations. This has not worked for us. We have decided that now and in the future we will represent ourselves at all regional, national, and international levels and speak on our own behalf. As one people, we will have no other organization represent us or speak for us without our express consent, including the Assembly of First Nations.
Any agreement they enter into cannot be binding on us without our consent. As original nations of this continent, we have always maintained that we are nations within the meaning of international law and have never given up this status. As far back as the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations, we have sent delegations asserting our sovereignty and imploring the crown to live up to its treaties with us.
Our relationship is with the crown and is governed by the Two Row Wampum, one of the oldest treaties in North America. It is interpreted to mean that in the same way as two rows do not intersect, our respective governments also agreed not to interfere with each other. The purpose was to establish and maintain peace and friendship within our nations. The Two Row defines our relationship by recognizing that we are equal but separate nations, and that forms the basis of all our treaties and agreements that followed.
We have continued to adhere to the relationship because it is our responsibility. We teach our children about responsibility because they will inherit this responsibility after we're gone and because peace is always desirable over a state of conflict, and friendship is a desired societal goal. But we find that Canada, which is responsible for this relationship on behalf of the crown, does not honour the agreements made by its forebears.
Rather than approaching the issue as allies and seeking a peaceful resolve, we are too often faced with unilateral decisions directed to us on how the issues will be handled. As a result, we find ourselves faced with the prospect of constant conflict.
Our treaties with the crown are vastly different from the so-called numbered treaties with Canada. Our pre-Confederation treaties are of governance, sharing, honour, and respect between the crown and the Iroquois, but they do not include extinguishment of our title.
Let it be understood that settlements resulting from any process will not include any release of our lands, and no amount of money can replace our children's future in our lands.
Our original relationship is represented by the Two Row Wampum for the purposes of establishing peace and friendship between us. The occupations, protests, and even armed conflict that has been occurring and continues to occur in our communities over land issues and claims is inconsistent with the intent of our relationship. It is a continual state of conflict that neither of us desire. As a result, we want this bill to be withdrawn.
We recommend developing a fair process based on our original relationship with the crown, a process whereby reconciling our interests would achieve peaceful and more acceptable resolutions for settling grievances. We are prepared to work with the federal government in developing such a process.
I have a summary of recommendations. I'll read two of them, and my colleague chiefs will jump in after me.
Recommendation number one is that a fair process be developed based on our original relationship with the crown, a process in which reconciling our interests could achieve peaceful and more acceptable resolutions to settling grievances. The Iroquois Caucus is prepared to work with the federal government in developing such a process.
Recommendation number two is that Canada withdraw this bill until a full and inclusive consultation has taken place with all affected aboriginal nations through a process jointly designed with them and adequately funded.
I'd ask my colleague, Chief Randall Phillips, to carry on.