Thank you, Chair.
I'd also like to thank President Clayton and Councillor Paul for joining today to talk about a subject that's top of mind across the country but especially in indigenous communities.
It's really great to have the first nation with a modern treaty in B.C. represented today, as well as the first self-governing first nation in Canada. It's really important for us to hear the particular concerns of self-governing indigenous governments.
I'd like to direct my first question to the shíshálh Nation. In last year's budget, we had funding for two large programs, the rapid housing initiative, 41% of which went towards indigenous recipients in B.C. to rapidly roll out housing solutions to the most vulnerable, and the indigenous community infrastructure fund, which has over half a billion dollars directed towards self-governing first nations and modern treaty partners for infrastructure and housing priorities.
Councillor Paul, I was hoping you could explain to this committee how these programs fit into advancing the housing plan of the shíshálh housing authority and what recommendations you would have for the government to improve upon these programs to ensure that they meet the needs of the shíshálh Nation and perhaps other self-governing first nations.