Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you so much to our witnesses for being with us today. This is critically important testimony. It will absolutely inform our work moving forward.
I really take note of the stronger language that's required and the lack of trust around the terminology of “best efforts”. I really take that to heart, along with recognizing the human right to have access to clean water.
I represent the riding of Fredericton-Oromocto. It's in New Brunswick. It's in the territory of the unceded, unsurrendered Wolastoqiyik people, the people of the river. The multijurisdictional reality for me is critically important. It's interprovincial. It rolls into the United States as well. I'm also very interested in seeing this bill proceed. Again, there are reluctant provincial governments that we often have to deal with. It's been a roadblock for many for far too long.
I would like to turn my attention to the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, because, again, it really concerns the communities I represent.
You signed an agreement with the Government of Canada in 2022 that involved a 10-year funding commitment for operations and capital programs. Now that this decades-long funding commitment has been made, how has that changed the approach to supporting and overseeing water systems and operations for the communities served by the authority?