The Kelowna Accord Is Back

After being tossed out by the Conservative Party when they were elected, the Kelowna Accord was put forward as a private member's bill by Paul Martin and was passed 159-123 with the Liberals, NDP and Bloc supporting it. The best the Conservatives can do at this point is stall it for a while.

Former prime minister Paul Martin won approval in principle Wednesday for a private member's bill aimed at resurrecting his cherished Kelowna accord.

Martin's bill, which would compel the Harper government to implement the $5.1-billion aboriginal pact, passed 159-123 with the support of Liberal, New Democrat and Bloc Quebecois MPs. Conservatives voted against it.

Kelowna accord bill to approved in principle

I think this is good news because First Nations people in Canada tend to have a really crappy deal. I'm pleased to see that the government will finally be implementing a plan that the First Nations had a say in, and hopefully the standard of living on reserves will improve.


[edit on 22-10-2006 by Duzey]

Nice to see that the Bloc even came online for this piece of legislation. The Tories voted against it? Must mean that they needed those funds for oh, say an Irving tax break?

I support the Kelowna Accord and not because my missus is of 1st Nation's heritage... I'm much more ruthless.

I support the Kelowna Accord because it was a "good", yet manageable deal... and way, way cheaper than a litigated settlement. I do not like Martin (never have) but when it comes to "the art of the deal" he "trumps" Trump.

I won't go into the 1st Nation's nuances of the Accord but know this; it was not accepted universally and there are those who who'd hold out for more rather than strike when the iron was hot. Kelowna had a process for dispute resolution that both sides agreed upon as being equitable and a framework on which to build resolution - a "good thing".

Kelowna served (will serve?) to clear the books of a great number of land claims (amongst other matters of great importance to those whom it would affect) and serve to partly right the wrongs of the past. If it is implimented is the problem going to go away? Maybe, for a while, most likely while Canada deals with "other" stuff...

Will the Martin Bill make it to Third Reading? Not likely without large revisions to put the "Conservative: Made In Canada Label" on it, BTW: Those labels are manufactured in a country South of Canada. Harpo's Marxpersons will re-do it if it moves forward... that it would be part of the voting budget insures trouble - look for an American-sounding version.

Harper will need an election issue on which his government can fall and put blame 100% elsewhere... this could be that issue (there are others), if they make it that far. Please note that 1st Nations support is not evenly split across party lines... expect some "fancy-footwork" as Harpo positions himself for a significant battle, for which the Conservatives will speak with their one and only voice; "Harper-channeling-Bush".

Harper could "buy" Duceppe, much the same way as Iggy might... I don't like that one bit either, Harper does need to make some support "deals" (Irving, PQ, indigenous people's, women, childcare, seniors, healthcare) and soon. Duceppe is salivating at the thought of the fiscal imbalance problem which Harper has promised redress for in "the next budget". Troubled waters a comin' - Harper doesn't have the "jam" to get it done and Duceppe knows he can get more by waiting and leveraging time against both the Cons and the Libs.

Victor K.

43'

The Tories voted against it because it was a piece of legislation from the Liberals. That automatically makes it bad.

I'm not surprised there's dissension amoung the First Nations on this. When you have that many different groups negotiating, there's always going to be disagreements. I say take the money and start working on improving conditions. It takes years to settle a land claim with a province and there is no guarantee the feds won't come in and screw around with it.

The federal government is starting to talk about cancelling the race-based fisheries, and those are terms that were included in every agreement we have made in BC.

[edit on 23-10-2006 by Duzey]

After second reading of former PM Martin's private members bill some folks are weighing in: Rae, Iggy, the Metis National Council, The Assembly Of First Nations, and the Conservatives who are "staying the course" and sticking to their guns and their Jan, 11, 2006 position even with Flaherty's budget surplus and Health Minister Clements "thriftiness". It'll still will come back for a third reading this session and the PC's will likely lose the vote like at second reading without some horse-tradin'.

Harper could cynically and slyly short circuit the works by making it a confidence vote and play off the Bloq's Quebec demand for $3.9 Billon for support for the government against Kelowna - Harper is within his parliamentary pervue to do so... if he lost that? Election.

Victor K.

43'

[edit on 26-10-2006 by V Kaminski]