Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, witnesses, for being here today.
Mr. Leach, you talked a lot about economic reconciliation. I have the pleasure of representing five different first nations in my southern Ontario riding. That is a topic of discussion that's come up quite often in my meetings with the chiefs, especially of late.
They've told me they want to be prosperous. They're seeking investments in their communities. However, they find that they're being stonewalled right now at every turn by the current NDP-Liberal government. One of their largest concerns is the lack of meaningful consultations. They feel that they're not being listened to.
In your experience, how has the lack of government consultation hampered reconciliation efforts? Do you see first nations being given a lower priority by this current government?