Document Information

Date: 1981-11-30
By: British Columbia (Legislative Assembly)
Citation: British Columbia, Legislative Assembly, Debates of the Legislative Assembly, 32nd Parl, 4th Sess, 1983 at 6730.
Other formats: Click here to view the original document (PDF). [external site–British Columbia Legislative Assembly]

Orders of the Day

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
(continued debate)

[…]

MR. LOCKSTEAD: […] I want to digress for a moment. There has been so much discussion over aboriginal rights in the last few days. I spent a day and a half at the conference of the Native Brotherhood in Bella Bella, and I picked up a number of insights from people in that community. One of the things that they were concerned about was the approach of this government to the aboriginal peoples of this province.

HON. MR. CHABOT: What’s your position?

MR. LOCKSTEAD: Listen, Mr. Minister, and you might find out.

I can understand the concern of the native peoples of this province, because that government is no friend of the native peoples of this province, I can tell you that. For example, on November 4 of this year, in a Canadian Press article in the Ottawa Citizen — remember, this was prior to any constitutional agreement being signed — it was stated: “Métis and Inuit leaders expressed fears Tuesday that provincial leaders, led by Premier Bill Bennett of British Columbia, may be pressing the federal government to drop guarantees of aboriginal rights in return for a constitutional compromise.” The worst fears of the native Indian people of this province were realized. In fact, that happened to be the case, as you know, Mr. Speaker.

The fact is that aboriginal rights and women’s rights were dropped from the constitutional package and were reinstated only after a great deal of public pressure from these groups, and for political reasons. The fact is the native Indian people of this province were sold out by this government, in my view. They’re very angry about it. I notice this government didn’t send a representative to that convention, and it was noticed up there as well. In any event, I would suggest to you that this government has ignored the native Indian people of our province, has not given any indication that they’re prepared to sit down with the federal government and the native people of this province, to sign the type of treaties that have never been signed in this province.

[….]