Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the four of you for coming.
Since I represent a political party that is not seeking to take power in Ottawa, let us speak frankly. The members facing us, and those on this side, were in power at a very important moment for the Aboriginals, First Nations and Inuit of this country.
I have a number of questions to ask and comments to make, but to begin with, I would like to say that today is a rather ironic day. I just want to point that out. Today is November 21. Exactly 10 years ago, the Erasmus-Dussault report was tabled. I know that the Assembly of First Nations will be marking that anniversary this evening. I wanted to draw attention to it because it is both funny and not funny. The Conservatives were in power when the Erasmus-Dussault report was requested and obtained; it was during the Mulroney era. It is both funny and not funny. In 2005, in Kelowna, it was the Liberals who were in power.
There are things I do not understand. I am going to tell you what they are and I would like the answers to my questions to be quite brief. I will start with Mr. Picard.
I know that you held a very important meeting. I want to congratulate you, on behalf of the committee and personally, too, for the work accomplished in Mashteuiatsh. I was there all three days, unlike the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. I can tell you that a lot of work was done. It was extraordinary. I hope that you will be able to come, if asked, and present the recommendations to this committee. I do not know if you would agree to come and present them to the committee and tell us what you are going to do with the recommendations that came out of the Mashteuiatsh socioeconomic forum.
I will let you answer that in a few minutes.
Today, I have a problem. I now have confirmation, which I received 15 days ago, with the presence of Mr. Martin, Mr. Goodale and Mr. Scott, that plans had been made in the government budget to add $5.1 billion to the $6.2 billion already available to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Those amounts were already set aside in the budget.
What can we do? I know all of the issues facing the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. I swear I know them by heart because I experience them in my own riding. I want to know how we around this table can go and get the $5.1 billion that you are entitled to following the Kelowna Accord.
That is my only question. I would like you to answer briefly, starting with Mr. Picard.