House returns as Idle No More protesters gather

MPs are set to return to the House of Commons today as Idle No More protesters plan to march to Parliament Hill for a world day of action.

The protesters are opposed to environmental law changes adopted after the House of Commons and Senate passed Bill C-45, the second omnibus budget implementation bill.

The protesters plan to meet on Victoria Island, where Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and Manitoba elder Raymond Robinson spent six weeks limiting their food intake to fish broth, herbal tea and water, and then march the kilometre or so to Parliament Hill for a noon ET rally.

Just days after Spence and Robinson ended their protests, New Democrat MP Romeo Saganash will hold a press conference to discuss a private member's bill he's bringing on the rights of aboriginal people.

A spokesman for the NDP said the bill "is about making sure the laws of Canada are consistent with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people."

Saganash helped negotiate the UN declaration. Last Thursday, he called for Canada to move beyond its belated endorsement of the declaration.

"The norms that are there are minimum standards that all countries should respect that endorsed the UN declaration," Saganash said. "Canada finally came on board not too long ago. Thank you very much, but let's move forward from that."

Economy still Conservatives' focus

Government House Leader Peter Van Loan says the government plans to continue focusing on Canada's economy over the next few months.

The first piece of legislation on the order paper will be a technical tax bill, to update legislation based on changes made more than 10 years ago, he said. The next bill to be dealt with is the Fair Rail Freight Service Act, dealing with railway contracts.

As for complaints by Idle No More that the last budget implementation bill infringes on indigenous sovereignty, Van Loan says it's got Royal Assent and become law, and it won't be revisited.

MPs are set to return to the House of Commons Monday as Idle No More protesters plan to march to Parliament Hill for a world day of action. The grassroots movement has held earlier marches on Parliament Hill, including this protest in December. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)

The meeting between aboriginal leaders, including Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was constructive, Van Loan said.

"I think that process that [Harper] got underway will continue, particularly the key commitments for a high-level process on the treaty relationship and a high-level process on comprehensive claims resolution," Van Loan said.

"That does not necessarily require legislation. The dialogue will continue, and occasionally we need legislation to move ahead particular settlements."

The government committed to have the prime minister's office and the privy council, the administrative arm of the PMO, oversee how aboriginal files are handled.

New Democrats seek civility

Van Loan also pointed to the First Nations accountability bill that made it through the House last fall and is now in front of the Senate.

"I think that in the current environment, there's obviously great interest among Canadians in seeing that complete its process," Van Loan said.

New Democrat House Leader Nathan Cullen says the Official Opposition wants to take another crack at instilling more decorum and civility in the House of Commons. Cullen says he's been consulting with some former parliamentarians from both the government and opposition sides of the aisle and in other legislatures.

"We've gone pretty broad on this to find out what works," Cullen said. "We don't think there's a need to reinvent the wheel, but we want to be more bold. I don't think this is a subtle shift that we need, I think that we need things that are more impactful on the working lives of MPs so that they know that we're working on this."

The New Democrats also have plans, he says, "around resolving some of the longstanding First Nations issues and bringing this government around to creating a path forward for Canadians.

"There's been a lot of protest, and now is the time for solutions," Cullen said.

The government is now more than four months late on its commitment to strengthen the powers of Elections Canada, following a unanimous vote in the House last March.

Cullen says he thinks the delay is due to more Conservative MPs facing alleged election scandals.

"It seems they have hit the pause button," Cullen said. "The government makes these commitments to [do things], shortly and soon, and I don't know how they define those terms.

"I don't know if their plan is to rag the puck until the next election so they can cheat and steal another few seats again, but I think Canadians will be watching."

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