I quite agree with the objective of restricting the scope of the testimony so that it can be useful for our study, although I would not be able to say at the moment which witnesses we should include or exclude. But we also have to ensure that the witnesses are somewhat representative of an indigenous group living in the three regions we want to study: urban, northern and rural.
I did not understand why we would exclude the First Nations. It is true that our motion was not very precise. So it is up to us to define its limits. I do not feel that we have to expand the list of witnesses from whom we will be hearing. It will be better if the testimony is very focused and relevant. However, we can call for briefs and anyone can submit one. Not all groups will come to testify, but some may be able to submit a brief.
I agree with restricting the list of witnesses, but we will make our final choice only on March 20. At our end, based on what we know about the different band councils, we will see which group in Quebec territory would be most appropriate for the present study. The housing problems they are experiencing are universal, but the funding programs differ.