Thank you, Mr. Chair. Welcome to all of the witnesses.
I truly sympathize with you. There was a time when I really did not like you very much, because first nations members made up one-third of my community. Every time we initiated positive action, they made it difficult, as you witnessed firsthand, and put up additional roadblocks. Because of the barrier that you erected, we managed to skirt the problem and put in place different measures to ensure the program's long-term survival. That was something that had to be done, because our first nations members had to leave their cultural environment in order to take courses that aligned with their culture.
Despite the fact that they had to leave to study, many of them speak English and write in English. They speak their native language, but are unable to read or write in that language. The gap between the two nations is wide indeed, because people still do not understand each other. The First Nations University of Canada was a critically important institution, regardless of the start-up costs and the mistakes that may have been made along the way.
Earlier, Diane spoke of how she had left her community to pursue her studies in environmental sciences and to receive a culturally sensitive education.
With regard to the university's administrative practices, what administrative powers has the First Nations University of Canada ceded to the University of Regina?