Good evening, everyone.
I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to the fifty-second meeting of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
We acknowledge that we are meeting today on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
Today's meeting is in a hybrid format.
I will not go into detail, as I know members are familiar with this approach.
For those participating virtually, I would like to outline a few rules.
You may speak in the official language of your choice. Interpretation services are available for this meeting in French, English and Inuktitut. You have the choice, using the little globe icon at the bottom of the screen, of either floor, English or French. Please select your language now. If interpretation is lost this evening, tell us, and we'll stop until we can solve the problem.
Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. You know how to mute and unmute yourselves.
Please address the chair.
Finally and very importantly, when speaking, please speak slowly and clearly so that the interpreters can do their job.
With regard to a speaking list, I already have that, so we don't need to talk about it.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee in November, the committee is beginning its study of improving graduation rates for indigenous students, examining the whole question of indigenous education from kindergarten all the way through the secondary school level.
Today on our panel, as we begin this first session, we have the honour of having Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council; as well as Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. He is accompanied by Jenny Tierney, director of policy advancement at ITK.
Welcome to all of you.
You are veterans of this committee, so I think you know that we start with your providing a five-minute introductory opening and then go to questions.
If everybody is fine, we'll begin the proceedings right away.
I invite President Caron to start it off with her opening remarks.