Thank you very much, and I come to you today from the unceded territory of the Mi’kma’ki.
Thank you, Minister. It's great to see you again, and thank you for all your hard work. There's so much to do on this file, and I just want to say I think you're doing an amazing job.
I was really glad you made a point in your notes earlier today, when you said it's very important that UNDRIP deals with more than consultation on resource development projects with impacted indigenous communities. This was a very good point, because last week we heard here on the committee from Beth Symes on behalf of the Pauktuutit, who also made this point. She asked us to look at this through the lens of indigenous women, and specifically articles 21 and 24 of UNDRIP, which deal with the promise of better social conditions for indigenous peoples.
Could you please speak to us more broadly on the nature of the principles in UNDRIP, and how important that is as a framework for everything from health care to family services to other issues of social well-being for indigenous people across Canada?
Thank you.