Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question will revolve around a first nations issue, which the bill and the proponents spoke about very briefly.
We know the federal government cannot regulate, as you pointed out very clearly, in areas where provincial jurisdiction is clear, as per the Constitution. How about in areas within provinces? I'm probably going to ask the provincial people who are here this question as well. Where provincial jurisdiction doesn't clearly apply, i.e., on reserve, what emerges is a jurisdictional gap in the provision of services, or what this bill speaks to.
Keeping in mind that in the Indian Act the first nations can pass bylaws on weed control but they can't pass bylaws on child welfare, there's a big gap between what the act allows first nations to do and what the relationship is between federal and provincial governments with respect to what is clearly provincial services--i.e., what this bill speaks to.
Nobody questions that child care and early learning opportunities are required on reserve. There's a huge baby boom happening in those communities. Is there any mechanism in this bill that legally allows and clearly prescribes how child care early learning opportunities could be extended on reserve?