Thank you very much.
I'm very happy that you asked that question because inherent rights allude to what we had before treaty. Treaty rights negotiations were afterwards, but inherent rights were the ones that we had prior.
I'd like to capitalize on a question. I flew 2,000 miles to be here, and I'd like to stress the importance of the relationship to water as a pipe carrier. I'm a lodge holder, and also, you know, we have a special relationship with water.
As a child, 68 years ago, I just about drowned. The water spirit just about took my life, and I was given a second chance in life. From that day on, I made an obligation to the thunder spirit that I'd speak on his behalf, and that's very important to note here. Nobody stresses the importance of our special sacred relationship with water. We were all in our mom's womb in the sacred water for nine months. Nine months—think about that. No human being with two legs can ever legislate water, never.
That's the spiritual component of it. I came on strong with that, and I'm not going to apologize for that because, you know, the oath I made to the higher power was that I'd work for all of God's creation under natural laws.
We are a sovereign nation when it comes to regulations. We have our own laws, and we put our regulations under our own laws. That's the sovereign position I'm presenting today.
Thank you very much.