Yes. I think that's very good.
In terms of the Métis Nation, there's a lot of misunderstanding, and there's been of course quite a long period of suppression of the Métis Nation and Métis rights. I would think projects that enable aboriginal nations or peoples to deal with their histories would be good, and particularly for the Métis Nation.
I know we have a difficult time in terms of just the term “Métis”. Some people view that as meaning just anyone of mixed ancestry, from coast to coast to coast, throughout Canada and the United States. We talk about the historic Métis Nation, a people that evolved as a distinct entity in basically western Canada. For example, in the east, the mixed-ancestry people evolved as the Acadians. The mixed-ancestry people in Quebec evolved as the Québécois. It's only in the west that the mixed-ancestry people evolved as a distinct nation.
We need to look at that. We need to look at representation. When we're at the table it's only our government that can speak on behalf of the Métis Nation, and we don't purport to speak for anybody else. As I said before, the friendship centres certainly have a role to play. The friendship centres are not a government and will never be a government but do provide valid and much-needed programs and services. The Métis government needs to find some way to work in collaboration with the friendship centres to enable programs and services to take place that the Métis Nation itself doesn't provide or where it would provide them jointly.
So major projects of that nature would be very helpful.