Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister and staff, for the presentation. I think you've captured pretty much all that we have been hearing over the last while as we've been doing this study. There are so many things. As you've stated, there is no one solution, and there are so many things that need to be addressed in order to correct and change the trend happening all across the country.
In different parts of the country we see a lot of need, but in the north we seem to see it more than in other parts of Canada. That's where we're seeing the suicide rates go through the roof, especially in Nunavut and in my area, the Northwest Territories.
Also, there's a real need for investment, a real need for catch-up. It's the first time in many years that we have money for housing. We're hitting a crisis level with housing. It's the first time that we have all our land claim negotiations moving again.
Those things are really positive, but at the same time, we still have a lot of other things that have to be looked at in terms of dealing with addictions and with the residential school fallout, yet we don't have any facilities. Our facilities are lacking, as are our staff. We don't have enough people on the ground.
In the Northwest Territories—and I believe that in Nunavut it's the same thing—our funding comes on a per capita basis for the most part, for a lot of the programs, and it really doesn't amount to a whole lot. I remember a housing program being announced. It was on a per capita basis. I think we were able to build two houses.
If health money comes on a per capita basis, it doesn't go far enough. We need base-plus funding. Is that something you would consider as we move forward in the discussions with the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the northern jurisdictions?