Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, could we just take two more minutes of your time before you close?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There haven't been in the past because the level of funding for the majority of first nations was only $85,000, which really would cover maybe the cost of half a lands manager and half a legal adviser. Because of the signing of the memorandum of understanding with Minister Dunc

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In keeping with what Chief Louie just added about an investment, I wonder if we could give Dr. Millette two minutes. He's been sitting there patiently waiting for someone to ask him about land-use planning. We haven't had one question about it, but that is part of the economic de

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We do get questions, either through the resource centre or directly to Chief Louie, Chief Bear, and the other LAB directors across the country, from first nations that are just asking to understand it and are not necessarily ready to put in a BCR, or band council resolution, to j

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Our adviser on the environmental side is Dr. David Harper from Victoria. He's the one who would provide data like that to the first nations, because we provide his expertise to assist in ongoing environmental issues.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Okay, you try, Patti.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Ruth, I don't know if you'd like to deal with an example that you faced when you were lands manager. The issue is not just contamination; it might have been on a reserve that a first nation's taking over, but as you look at the external boundaries, it's what's coming onto the r

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I have one thing to add to the answers that the chiefs have given. There's no need to redo the land code. Once you have done the land code, as Chief Louie did, you just move your land code over to your—in Chief Louie's case, his governance structure. It's the same with Whitecap D

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think the recent announcement by the deputy minister to open it up to another 100 indicates a desire to find the funding. That will certainly speed it up for those who are on the waiting list. Also, the fifth amendment to the framework agreement is coming forward. I believe i

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In referring to the $3 million, could you clarify? It certainly didn't come to us.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I know that in the previous Treasury Board authority, there was $500,000 a year set aside for five years. I think we saw about $350,000 at one point early on, and that was the end of it. Our amount of funding in our budget for next year amounts to $85,000.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. Going back to a question that the gentleman from Quebec raised earlier about Canada's obligation under the framework agreement, it's to facilitate first nations, through the transition process, to leave the Indian Act. Now they're going out under their land codes, and we ha

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's getting them access to the virtual resource centre, the meeting place, so that each first nation lands governance director can communicate with all the others who are from signatory first nations. We have 36 that are operational. Each of those lands governance directors has

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I just wanted to add a footnote. In the funding that Canada provides to the developmental first nations, there is $75,000 a year for a two-year maximum. With that $150,000, the first nation has the opportunity to hire their own legal advice to comment on the land code the commun

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I have a chart we could pull up, which may help you appreciate the differences between NALMA and our organization. If that can be pulled up, then Ruth, Patti, and Elizabeth will speak to it.