This has been in the works for 50 years. The Haida people have been asserting their inherent right to self-determination essentially since contact. In a legal sense, as the president outlined, there was a point at which they couldn't even obtain legal counsel because it was barred by law. I believe that in the last several years, we have moved an incredible amount to ascertain the first element of this, which is governance.
Bill C-15, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, is a foundational document for Canada. It's a foundational document towards self-determination and recognition of indigenous rights. I believe that it has enabled us and, in many ways, has pushed us along in ensuring that we can move faster and more coherently on these issues.
The fact that we have a willing partner in the Province of British Columbia is a remarkable alignment that I acknowledge. I acknowledge the work of former minister Rankin, who was a former colleague of ours in Parliament. Together, we've been working in tandem towards moving the dial on this issue, with the Province of British Columbia leading the way and with us following, using our own internal mechanisms and accountability processes.
I am very confident about the work that has been done so far. I'm also very confident that we will be able to progress on the work ahead.