Thank you so much. Wela'lin. Like Ms. Whitman, I come to you today from the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq in Nova Scotia.
First of all, I want to say thank you to all of you for your tireless efforts on behalf of indigenous women and girls, making sure they have a voice in these important matters.
In addition to the specific Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action 43 and 44, which call on governments to fully adopt and implement the declaration and develop an action plan to achieve its goals, the declaration is referenced throughout the calls to action. It's also referenced in the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
I'll start with Ms. Whitman, but I'd like to hear from each of you regarding this final report. Can you expand on why you think the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the national inquiry both emphasized the declaration as such a key part of reconciliation? Can you perhaps offer some views on why this international document is so essential to advancing reconciliation here in Canada from coast to coast to coast?
Ms. Whitman.