Thank you.
Thank you for the presentations. It's really great to have the NEB before us. We really appreciate your public service. I've had wonderful interactions both with Natural Resources Canada and with the National Energy Board, and I would agree entirely that the NEB staff are exceptional. There are some really exceptional people there.
I want to zone in on a piece that isn't really included in this commissioner's review but that I think is an elephant in the room.
Ms. Touchette, you talked about the issue of public confidence. The emphasis was placed on change and on a modernization program. You talked about regulatory excellence, safety and engaging Canadians, but you did not say anything about the relationship between the National Energy Board and aboriginal communities.
Engaging Canadians is broadly written, and you could throw it into that category, but there's a question that I would like to ask today. Do you feel that the National Energy Board, in its position not only as the regulator but also the body statutorily obligated to conduct environmental assessments, is in a strong position to engage in consultation?
I know, Madam Touchette, that you're an expert in this area. You've taught in this area at the University of Ottawa. You were formerly with the Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs. You know this area well. I'm very curious to hear your remarks in that regard.