The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Jean Crowder, — That Bill C-21, in Clause 1, be amended by replacing line 5 on page 1 with the following:“Rights Act is replaced by the following:
67. (1) In the interpretation and application of this Act, it shall be taken into consideration that a First Nation government is entitled
to
(a) provide programs and services exclusively or on a preferential basis to the members of the First Nation;
(b) give preference to the members of the First Nation in the training and hiring of employees and contractors;
(c) give preference to the members of the First Nation in the allocation of land, resources or other economic benefits;
(d) give preferential or exclusive treatment to the members of the First Nation in matters relating to the exercise of cultural, spiritual or other traditional practices or activities;
(e) give preferential or exclusive treatment to the members of the First Nation in matters of concern and priority to the community, where reasonably necessary; and
(f) to consider and apply indigenous legal traditions and customary laws in a manner consistent with the principles of equality and justice.
(2) In this section, “First Nation government” means a “council of the band” as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Indian Act.”
The debate continued.