Mr. Chair, we are going to support this motion because it seems to us to be extremely important for the development of First Nations. I can understand the government wanting to cut the funds if errors have been made, if money has been squandered as the minister seems to be suggesting, probably with justification. It seems clear to us that errors have been made in the management of the First Nations University. Even the First Nations who are in charge of the project admit, as Grand Chief Lonechild has done, that there have been errors and there has been poor administration.
However, must we throw out the baby with the bathwater, as they say? Doing so would mean that the First Nations of Saskatchewan, and from outside the province as well, would lose the only university that provides them with a complete education and communicates to them through their culture and otherwise. A number of aboriginal communities go there, in fact, and send their students there to be educated.
I do not think that this decision puts the role of the First Nations University into question. It seems perfectly clear to me that what has come into question is the administration. Could the government not reconsider its position, given that the First Nations University will be under the administrative control of the University of Regina for the next five years? These are the questions that we are still asking and for which we have had no answer, hence our support for this motion. This is why there is some urgency. We feel that it is important to pass this motion as quickly as possible, to report to the House, and above all to hear witnesses, before March 31.