Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I apologize to our witnesses. I don't want to take too much time away from the matter at hand, but very quickly, as the sole representative at this table for Manitoba, I want to put forward the following motion in light of the passing of Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
I've run this by the leaders of all parties around the table, and I'll read it as follows, Mr. Chair:
That, in light of the sudden passing of Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick on September 6, 2024, the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs offer its deepest condolences to her family, friends and community. The committee acknowledges her tireless efforts and leadership, particularly her advocacy for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and pledges to honour her dedication to improving the lives of first nations people through its ongoing work.
Furthermore, that the committee report this to the House.
Mr. Chair, because I did not have the chance to present this with 48 hours' notice, I do need unanimous consent in order to move the motion. My hope is that we will receive that, and following that, we can quickly vote to adopt this motion and get back to the important topic at hand vis-à-vis Bill C-61.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.