Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here, Minister.
Housing is one area that the supplementary estimates do not address, despite the dire housing needs. Meeting those needs would require an investment of $8 billion in Quebec and an investment of $34 billion in Canada.
In an effort to see the glass as half full, I want to recognize the hard work and contribution of first nations and Inuit communities, especially in Quebec. Quebec is the province doing the best job, having prioritized capacity building in indigenous communities. I asked the Auditor General about it. She wasn't very familiar with the ecosystem in Quebec, but she did note that Quebec was making more progress than other provinces.
Indigenous financial institutions that belong to the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, or NACCA—one being the Native Commercial Credit Corporation, in Wendake—are important because their contribution to capacity building is essential. These institutions submitted a request for better long-term funding as part of the pre-budget consultation process. Their contribution agreements are expiring on March 31, 2024, so very soon. One of the things they are asking for is $150 million so they can issue new housing loans.
Indigenous communities are worried because the government hasn't announced any such funding, and they need predictability. The Yänonhchia’ initiative is a social innovator designed by and for indigenous peoples to strengthen the housing network and indigenous-led financing.
Will you commit to pressing your colleague, the Minister of Finance, to act on the funding requests of indigenous financial institutions?