By Nigel Maxwell

Lillian Dyck and Rob Clarke are at odds

Dec 19, 2014 | 4:23 PM

Northern Saskatchewan MP Rob Clarke is making history with the passing of Bill C-428.

He is the first – First Nations MP in Canada to have legislation passed in the House of Commons and the Senate.

Bill C-428, which replaces the Indian Act, received royal assent last Tuesday night.

“The minister now has to meet with First Nations organizations and grass roots members and talk about what needs to be done, it actually forces the government to meet now with First Nations, which was never included in the Indian Act before,” said Clarke.

The new legislation also allows First Nations to draft their own bylaws without the Federal Minister’s approval. Essentially if a company pollutes on First Nations land, the chief and council can set their own penalty.

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“This is another example of self-governance and I’m hoping they(leaders) take advantage of it, either through economic development, growing their own crops or land management,” said Clarke.

The passing of the bill has not come without a few speed bumps. First Nations leaders have criticized Clarke for a perceievd lack of consultation.

The most recent opposition to the legislation came last week during Senate debate.

Liberal Senator Lillian Dyck accused Clarke of displaying behaviour that was boastful and white man behaviour.

“What I was referring to was that he was behaving more or less like a treaty – era white man, and I didnt use the treaty era part in my speech. Really what I was referring to I guess would be displaying behaviours that could be called colonial,” said Dyck.

She said Clarke should have done a better job putting forward a bill that protected treaty rights.

In the days that followed, Clarke asked for an apology, to which Dyck replied,”I think his request for an apology from me is just simply a political maneuver to deflect attention from numerous and serious defects in his bill,” she said.

One day after making that comment, Dyck did issue an apology but it was not to Rob Clarke.

“These brief comments, included in my extensive third reading speech in the Senate, may have unintentionally offended some men, who unlike Mr. Clarke, self-identify as being white,for that I apologize,” said Dyck.

Clarke appears unphased by by having his request shot down, in fact he says the comment is now just water under the bridge.

“People make mistakes and if they own up to it, I’m pleased with that. I just don’t want to see any type of remarks out there that could be strued as racism,” said Clarke.

Clarke and Dyck have not spoken since the exchange last week.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell