Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My questions will be directed to Mr. Thomson and will focus on First Nations.
We all recognize that we need the support and assistance of First Nations more than ever to develop our economic future, as well as our energy future and our environmental future, in particular. First Nations are part of the solution.
That's why our party has made very firm commitments to make First Nations partners in every project for the future that touches one of their ancestral lands. We want First Nations to be partners in these projects, whether they involve natural resources or energy, and to benefit from the prosperity of these projects. For centuries, they've been given a cheque to get out of the way. Now, we want to create paycheques together with First Nations.
Mr. Thomson, in your opening address, you talked a lot about First Nations, in fact.
The point is that first nations don't own the land like that. They have to go through the government.
How do you deal with a first nations community that would like to do a big project, but you have to address it as if they don't own the land as it is?