Well, the status quo is not working for the average first nation person. I doubt very many people outside of the indigenous community are happy with the status quo on reserve or as it applies to status Indians.
The point I want to make with my comments today is that continuing with legislation, which is proposed and in some cases passed without consultation with first nations people, is itself a continuation of the status quo.
I respect your intention in bringing forward an attempt to change the Indian Act, but I think the whole process needs to be done in consultation with first nations people and other affected parties. If we engage in that sort of consultation before, during, and after those legislative processes, then I think there will be real transparency, real buy-in, and consequently a greater chance that those legislative changes actually lead to challenging the status quo.
Beyond that, there are many first nations in Canada, and not just first nations, but also regional organizations such as the Grand Council of Treaty No. 3 in northwestern Ontario, that have started, or in some cases implemented, alternatives to the Indian Act.
I would just like to say on the record that yes, the federal government needs to work with those first nations and regional organizations that are taking those concrete, positive steps. I hope there is the will on the part of the federal government to work with those organizations that are doing that and to figure out, in collaboration with them, what sort of resource allocation to those initiatives makes sense.