Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I appreciate the discussion, the input and the difference of opinions.
I would look at a couple of examples. The dental plan is a negotiated one. Child care was negotiated with provinces individually; the federal government has been working through that process, and I think they've come to a lot of agreements with provinces individually, rather than with all as one.
Regarding the challenge that some people might feel that co-operation to develop agreements is problematic, I think that the co-operation is essential on this particular issue, as with policing. The federal government is now working with indigenous and provincial governments to establish different policing models across the country. Again, it is a co-operative attempt to deal with the policing issues, which are urgent, and indigenous and provincial representatives are coming to the table with the federal government to develop different policing models.
There are examples of that happening trilaterally across the country, and, as I say, the federal government has been attempting to do that one-on-one in specific programs with provinces across the country and is establishing agreements on different programs that they're setting up.
I'm a little more optimistic than maybe some people are. Especially on this particular topic, I think there is more consensus about coming to the table to work on an agreement. I'm of the belief that a co-operative agreement is a better agreement than a mandated one or one without a partnership. We've talked about partnerships a lot here on this particular issue, and I think partnerships make for a better agreement and a longer-lasting agreement and are a much better approach than excluding people from them.
I'm a little more optimistic than some people might be on this particular issue.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.