Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, having been unable to beat the clock yesterday, I rise to deliver part 2 of my speech as sponsor of Bill C-45, amendments to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act. In the genre of sequels, I’m aiming for the Top Gun: Maverick of Senate third-reading speeches.

I left off speaking about a success story from Saskatchewan regarding the fiscal frameworks for First Nations that this bill enhances.

In terms of the benefits of participation in the First Nations Fiscal Management Act for communities, I’d like to share the story of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak Nation.

I quote Chief Daryl Watson, who said:

Development and implementation of policies and procedures for day-to-day financial activities will lead to long-term sustainability for Mistawasis Nêhiyawak. It is paramount to develop structure with short-term and long-term strategic plans/work plans for good administrative governance for our Membership, for future generations, and for our business partners.

Mistawasis Nêhiyawak is a Cree community located 70 kilometres west of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation is notable because it was the first in Saskatchewan to receive a Financial Management System Certificate, an FMS Certificate for short, through the First Nations Financial Management Board. This has helped the community make its mark in the business world, creating several prosperous companies that are engaged in a variety of businesses ranging from a gas station and cafe to property management, engineering and an industrial contractor.

The community was first added to the First Nations Fiscal Management Act schedule in 2013. Four years later, with the help of the First Nations Tax Commission, it passed property taxation and assessment laws. In 2019, it set tax rates and passed an expenditure law for the first time, collecting more than $80,000 to help support First Nation infrastructure and local services from non-community member farmers who lease agricultural land. Mistawasis takes a modified approach to taxing agricultural land. They determine the average tax per acre in the adjacent municipality, and they charge taxpayers based on the acres leased. Mistawasis is the first First Nation to successfully implement this approach.

The capacity-building elements provided under the First Nations Fiscal Management Act have helped the community unlock its economic success. To that point, the community’s tax administrator received training at the Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics, an accredited institution which offers training in local revenue systems and financial management programs. This was instrumental in making Mistawasis’s tax system fully operational.

To sum that up, the FMS Certification process has helped Mistawasis Nêhiyawak develop and implement sound finance and administrative governance practices, build fiscal capacity and strengthen self-determination.

I feel privileged to share that success story with you, a journey of 10 years that demonstrates what is possible when First Nation governments have practical tools for modern fiscal management. And it demonstrates what is possible when we move toward new practices and new ways of doing things, working in full partnership with Indigenous leaders and experts.

To conclude, I would again thank the critic, Senator Martin, the Indigenous Peoples Committee and this chamber for moving swiftly on Bill C-45. I would also offer final congratulations to the champions of economic reconciliation who have created and driven this legislation. My experience as sponsor of Bill C-45 adds to my optimism that Canada and Indigenous peoples are advancing shared prosperity. We have a great distance yet to travel, but we have found the path, with the sun on our face and the wind at our back.

Thank you colleagues for your support. I look forward to Royal Assent of this important legislation.

Thank you, hiy kitatamîhin.