Land claims pile up in parliament

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Natives in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories have their fingers crossed that land claims will make it through Parliament before the summer recess.

Both the Council of Yukon Indians and the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut's land claims are in the final stages of approval but there is no guarantee that either piece of legislation will make it through before June 25, the last day of sitting.

Political leaders from the Yukon were in Ottawa last week to lobby members of the House of Commons and Senate to give all-party support to their land claim.

Council chair Judy Gingell, Yukon Development leader John Ostashek, leaders of the Liberal and New Democratic parties and representatives of Yukon First Nations met with federal officials in the hope of fast tracking the deals through the House.

"The trip is really two-fold: it's to lobby the ministers and make them aware of how important it is that this legislation passes," said Ostashek. "And also to make the nations people in the Yukon and the prolonged discussion and negotiation of their land claims package," he said during a radio interview with Northern Native Broadcasting Yukon.

Time is of the essence, northern officials said. The claims must move through Parliament before summer recess if they are to pass at all.

If they die on the order paper over the summer, the claims may not make it back to the house for up to 18 months. Further delays could also be caused by a federal election.

To get speedy approval, the claims will have to go straight to the House's standing committee as soon as they arrive in Ottawa, a move that requires the consent of every MP.

Even fast tracking the legislation could take up to a week, New Democrat leader and Yukon MP Audrey McLaughlin said during a press conference with the Yukon delegation. The CYI legislation is currently before the federal Justice department going through its final draft.

Once the draft is complete, it must still go through the federal cabinet and the planning and priorities committee before it can be sent to Parliament.

And a new government may not place land claims legislation at the top of its list of things to get through the house, McLaughlin added.

However, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney confirmed he will sign the TFN claim on May 25 in Iqaluit. The claim will then be addressed in Parliament May 27. But the Yukon claim may not be so lucky. Parliament Hill insiders give it only a 50 per cent chance of making it through.