Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all of the witnesses. This was a very moving presentation.
I guess the unifying theme I took from it is the importance of culture in some of the processes we might use to turn around some of these very disturbing conclusions.
I'd like to start, if I could, with Professor Lalonde and Dr. Smylie on a practical point. Dr. Lalonde, you talked about the availability of statistics on suicide being “extraordinarily difficult”, particularly from the federal government, even though they have responsibility for status Indians. Also, Dr. Smiley, you used the expression “gotten worse” when you described the move from the long form census to the household survey. I'd like each of you to elaborate, if you would, on those difficulties you've faced.
Perhaps, Dr. Lalonde, you could start.