Thank you very much to our witnesses today. You're offering very powerful testimony.
I think MPs of all parties are working together. We want to ensure that we avoid the mistakes of the past. In past pandemics, we have seen indigenous peoples and indigenous communities neglected. We need to learn from those lessons, so we appreciate all of you coming forward today. My questions will be primarily for the national chief, and if Mr. Chartrand wants to respond as well, he is of course welcome to.
I have four questions. First, I would like to repeat that a number of indigenous communities in northern Manitoba and northern Ontario have been calling for the support of the Canadian Forces around protective equipment, supplies and even field hospitals. These requests from indigenous leaders have also been repeated by MPs like Niki Ashton and Charlie Angus in those areas of northern Manitoba and northern Ontario.
My first question is this. Should the federal government be moving quickly to act on these requests, given the dearth of infrastructure and support in those communities?
Second, indigenous communities often suffer from a lack of health care supports and health care staff. Should the federal government take action, working with indigenous communities, to ensure there are enough doctors and nurses and health care support in indigenous communities?
My third question is in regard to the emergency response benefit. It leaves a lot of people behind currently and many of those people are indigenous people. Does it make sense to have a universal benefit that is available to everybody right away?
My fourth and last question, and thank you for your patience, is this. There is $15 million that has been provided for indigenous people living off reserve, for all the costs linked to COVID-19. Do you believe that is even remotely enough, or are we repeating the errors of the past?
Thank you very much for responding to these questions.