Human Resources committee  Thank you. I do. I think the 2009 Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development was an important first step. I think what it didn't do is focus on communities and nations, and their abilities to develop economies. The joint action plan agreed to by the Prime Minister an

Human Resources committee  Yes, I think we would be remiss if we didn't acknowledge that national panel on education that has just been completed. It had some very significant recommendations with respect to emergency funding. Funding parity doesn't mean exactly the same funding level per teacher. It also

Human Resources committee  Maybe I can start and then ask Elvera to chip in as well. I certainly thank you and acknowledge the challenges that you've raised. I think as well that the child care is a very big barrier, with so many single families. The one you didn't mention in your list, which I think is

Human Resources committee  I'm not sure how to respond.

Human Resources committee  Absolutely. I'll just go ahead. I'd like to thank the chair and the committee very much for inviting the Assembly of First Nations to speak on behalf of first nations aboriginal skills and employment training strategy holders, or as they're known, ASETS holders. The topic of yo

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much for the question. I appreciate it. I should tell you that I lived in Barrie for eight years and commuted to Toronto, so I'm familiar with the many Huron and Wendat remains being found in the Lake Simcoe area. If we're not going to reset the relationship, the

Canadian Heritage committee  I can't pretend to have all the answers on this in particular. I think that even with regard to the Olympic participation there was a lot of debate in first nation communities about whether to accept the torch going through their community, because there were concerns. There were

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely: I think legacies can be overt and stated and I think legacies can be understated. When people think of the 2010 Olympics, they think of the participation of first nations, Métis, and Inuit in those celebrations. I don't think there was ever an overt statement that w

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for the question. I think what you highlight are certainly the impacts of the residential school experience, of that child's grandparents either having successfully avoided residential schools or being able to survive it with the culture intact in some manner, and of t

Canadian Heritage committee  Consult early and consult often: that's important relationship-building advice. One of the things the Olympics did successfully was to go to various advocacy groups and ask them for help on the planning committee, to join in and bring their ideas forward. There were opportunities

Canadian Heritage committee  Well, I think the broad framework of inviting first nations of the host areas of your communities but also across Canada--representative of reconciliation and how this country has developed--would be fitting. An appropriate role in the ceremonies, being associated with the ceremo

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much for the question. First off, we have such a fascinating history, and we know so little about it. You mentioned the Iroquois group that came out. They were members of the Six Nations, I am sure, most likely Mohawk, given the proximities. People often say, we

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for the question. I don't have that particular list here for you today, but that's exactly the sense we're trying to talk about when we say “a relationship”. In December 2010, the Prime Minister wrote to the National Chief about wanting to work on these issues. In t

Canadian Heritage committee  They're certainly a major player. I'm fascinated to see old media translate to new media and how they've opened up their archive for all Canadians and for the world, I assume, to view and utilize. It's spectacular. I think we have a fourth national broadcaster in the Aboriginal

Canadian Heritage committee  I think it would be very much that we're still here, we're part of Confederation, and we're moving forward together. I'm not that old, and when I was in grade eight studying history, I learned that the Indians died with the buffalo. I saw the big picture at the end of a railway