Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
We've had quite a few good questions here. I think you did a very good presentation.
My first question is on lands and trust services, or LTS. Has there been, or will there be, a review of the current policy framework and legislation that's currently there with respect to the Supreme Court decisions of Haida, Taku River, and Mikisew Cree with respect to traditional lands? What responsibility do you think the Department of Indian Affairs has in this area?
The second question relates to Jean Crowder's question. There were 17 national recommendations for child and family, with huge problems converging upon the first nations. The provinces will make policy changes to the child welfare act, for lack of a better term, but the funding doesn't allow the bands to respond, to catch up. There have been situations in Saskatchewan where there is very little on kinship, for example, and prevention.
Stretching the socio-economic issue to funding of elementary and secondary, would the department look at funding schools to actually provide space for special education? You provide the funding for the program and for the teacher, but no space. There's also the issue of the expansion of high school course offerings so that we graduate more than just generalists from some of the high school programs.
Regarding capital, I know that in Saskatchewan and in other areas there's a provincial policy to raise social assistance rates, and usually the department will mirror what the province has done. That money is then taken from somewhere. Does this put in jeopardy capital and the potential for keeping it to build new schools, upgrade them, renovate them, expand them? Then there's the status of the ISSP and PSSP review, which is absolutely critical at this point.
As my last question, off-reserve band members vote for their on-reserve chief, but it creates a real split in the ability of the first nation to provide services, because with voting comes the expectation of services. There's conflict between the interlocutor role, urban funding from the department, and the role of the first nation.
Sorry; that's a whole bunch.