Finance committee  I'm going to ask Shelagh to talk about the law specifically, but what I can tell you is about the lived experience and the effects it has on aboriginal women. Real matrimonial property rights are something aboriginal women have been dealing with for decades, if not centuries. To put it realistically, the issue has always been a problem.

Finance committee  Thank you. My name is Laura Holland. I'm an organizer with the Aboriginal Women's Action Network and we're part of the B.C. CEDAW Group. I want you to take a moment just to acknowledge that you are on native land. I know this is a really important time for aboriginal peoples in British Columbia and in Canada as well because there are many land claims that remain unsettled, and there are many aboriginal women and children who still remain without access to lands and resources.