Yes, there is some openness. I met with the same group as you today. I know those individuals very well. Among other things, they mentioned the extraordinary work they did during the COVID‑19 pandemic with the funding of Indigenous services to ensure that people stayed alive and healthy with vaccine and food distributions for seniors living in urban settings.
They did an outstanding job. At the same time, they also revealed something that we should have known: those needs are desperate.
A transition to a post-COVID‑19 era entails funding issues. I know that Minister Hajdu recently made an announcement on the subject in Vancouver. My parliamentary secretary, Mr. Battiste, announced the infrastructure investment at the friendship centre in Halifax. These are pivotal places for Indigenous people who choose to live in an urban setting.
There's always a discussion about funding to determine how much it takes. That requires the participation of the provinces, but the federal government has a duty not to be absent.