I want to start with something that happened during my 2024 by-election because I think it illustrates the issue at hand very well.
The Liberal candidate who ran against me publicly identified as Métis during the campaign. It wasn't a passing comment. It was part of how she presented herself to voters. In B.C. and across Canada, Métis identity is not something informal. There are recognized registries and organizations that require documentation, genealogy, community connection and verification. It's a process, and it's intentionally rigorous because it protects the integrity of the identity of people who have carried it through the generations.
During that campaign, the local Waceya Métis Society came forward and asked a very straightforward question. They asked her to provide documentation to substantiate that claim. She wasn't able to produce any of the documentation to satisfy their request.
What I saw was something more important than a headline at that time. It was a serious breach of integrity without any consequences. The issue basically just went away, and it was clear that the Liberal Party hadn't properly vetted their candidate and didn't require any documentation of her Métis background, nothing.
To tell you the truth, I'm not surprised to see these serious breaches in this program that you've documented in your report.
If your report shows that these basic verification steps aren't being taken, what is actually in place to prevent the kind of abuse that Canadians have already seen in other contexts from happening here? What are the consequences for cheaters? Do we even care as long as we hit our 5% target?
Can you explain the lack of integrity in this 33%?