Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As you know, I put forward this motion, but I did it in conjunction with the member from the Northwest Territories. The member from Fort McMurray—who I have to congratulate on having her baby as well—was also affected by this.
I appreciate the comments made by Mr. McLean and others, but I feel that regardless of the documentation we see—and perhaps it was the language in the preamble that made you think otherwise—the intent really is for us to follow up after time has passed to see what has been done.
I think, given the fact that we have had all the testimony at this point from the AER, Imperial Oil and the first nations and Métis people, that we are at a point where we can put forward a motion to say that we want to have that follow-up meeting.
A number of points were made, and I am amenable—and I believe Mr. McLeod is also amenable—to changing the preamble somewhat, as long as we have the follow-up meetings set, which is the point of this motion.
Mr. McLean, you brought up the benefits agreement again, but we were told very clearly by the first nations and Métis people that they felt those agreements had now been broken and that there was a real lack of trust.
I think it's incumbent upon us, although we are not responsible for natural resources but for indigenous affairs and indigenous land, as a federal government, to have a responsibility to the first nations and Métis, given what has happened, to follow up to be sure that what is said is going to be done is in fact done, and that it's satisfactory to them.
I would like to have this motion put forward, and with a date in October.
I don't believe we've called them liars in here. The language the chair put forward, “inability to provide definitive answers”, changes the tone of it. Again, I am amenable to other changes to the preamble.
I do believe that it would be respectful of us to move this motion now that we've heard the testimony, and make sure that the first nations and Métis people who came and spoke to us very passionately realize that we are taking this seriously and that we understand they do not trust the AER and Imperial Oil right now, and that it will take time to rebuild that trust. In the interim, we are willing to follow up in October to see what has been done and to play that kind of role. As I said, I think it's completely appropriate to do that.
I don't know if you want to add anything to what I had to say, Mr. McLeod.