Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks for coming and updating the committee.
I want to make a quick comment on Jordan's Principle. Of course, I know you're well aware that the motion passed in the House was not limited to complex medical disabilities. That was never the intention of the motion. It was to put first nations children first, so that they were treated on an equitable basis, as children off reserve are treated. I just wanted to put that out there. It is great to see some progress, even though it's narrowed the scope of Jordan's Principle, that at least some of the provinces are coming to the table and discussing it.
In the Auditor General's report, in exhibit 4.1, she outlined that there are a number of challenges facing first nations children. They include socio-economic conditions, jurisdiction, legislation, program design, access to and availability of services, and emerging issues. And in the past year we've had a number of cases where children were apprehended because of severe mouldy conditions in homes. There was a group in Mr. Duncan's riding. A significant number of children were apprehended because of the conditions in the homes.
Our experience, of course, in the past has been that often departments end up working in silos, even silos within departments. So in the enhancement provisions, are you looking more broadly at housing, education, water, all of the other impacts on the liveability of homes for first nations children on-reserve?