DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY(Hansard)WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22,

2006 Legislative Session: Second Session, 38th Parliament
HANSARD

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Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 7, Number 12

Search terms for Wednesday March 22, 2006:

New Relationship Trust Act

Sean Kocsis President IIG-All Nations Institute

Lorne Mayencourt Lib MLA

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2006

The House met at 2:05 p.m.

Second Reading of Bills

NEW RELATIONSHIP TRUST ACT

L. Mayencourt: I am pleased to stand in the House today and speak to the New Relationship Trust Act. I think that we as a government and we as a Legislature have come a long way.

[S. Hawkins in the chair.]

I have watched with great interest the development of the New Relationship document, and I have been inspired by the work of the minister responsible for this piece of legislation. I am inspired even by the name of his ministry. I think it speaks to the attitudes in British Columbia today about reconciliation. I think it speaks to us about coming forward and saying that we have some work to do here together to move forward and to make the lot in life for all British Columbians much better.

I am of the belief that we cannot do that in one group at a time. We have to do that in lockstep. We have to move together, we have to decide on what we're trying to accomplish, and we have to go forward with it.

I've had the opportunity to visit many first nations communities and had a great time talking with many, many people that work in first nations. I was grateful to the member from Burnaby south who was speaking earlier about the Institute of Indigenous Government. The IIG, or the Institute of Indigenous Government, actually started in my neighbourhood — down in and around Victory Square. Later it moved over to a location on Homer Street.

[1715]

I got the opportunity to spend some time with Sean Kocsis, who was the executive director. I believe he continues to be there. I've also had the chance to work with a couple of their assistant professors, Catherine Crow and Bill Lindsay

What I learned from my interaction with these folks was that they had this great desire and this great vision to make a difference in British Columbia, in concert with aboriginal folks and non-aboriginals. They had a larger vision. They understood that in order for first nations to improve their standard of living, they had to become equal partners. I think that's something that is reflected so well in The New Relationship document.

I think one of the most beautiful things about The New Relationship document is the first sentence in the first paragraph of that relationship document: "We are all here to stay." I think what that is telling us is that we have to stop working against each other. We have to start recognizing the value of each other, of different cultures, of different beliefs. We have to start working together to make sure that we respect each other, that we make a commitment to treat each other well. That is a very important statement.

There is no doubt in my mind that there has been a lot of wrong done to first nations and to our first peoples around this province. We have plenty of examples of it. I am constantly amazed when I think back to the 1960s, when we stopped with the residential schools. I used to think that was a hundred years ago, and it's not so long ago. I think we have gone a long way in the

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Search terms for Wednesday March 22, 2006:

Aboriginal Education

All Nations Institute

Human Rights

Institute of Indigenous Education

Sean Kocsis

Sean Kocsis President IIG-All Nations Institute

Lorne Mayencourt Lib MLA

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