[Member spoke in Inuktitut as follows:]
ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᕐᒥᑦ ᖁᔭᓕᒍᒪᕙᔅᓯ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᔭᔅᓯᓐᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᕈᑎᖃᖅᖃᐅᒐᔅᓯ. ᐊᒃᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐅᐱᒋᕙᔅᓯ.
[Inuktitut text translated as follows:]
Thank you. First, I’d like to thank you all for starting out with what you talked about. I commend you all.
[English]
I want to first thank all the witnesses who started off speaking their first nations or Métis languages. I think that is such an important way to introduce yourselves. I always try to speak Inuktitut whenever I can because I think it's important for all levels of government to know that we're still here and we still speak our languages. I really appreciated that.
The second thing I appreciate from all of you and all of the witnesses in this study is that we keep hearing about the history of poverty and the history of suppression. I think it's important that we continue to hear these. They are really important messages that we need to continue to hear as parliamentarians. The more we hear of these realities, the more we have to realize how much change we need to fight for. I really appreciated all of you sharing your expertise in those areas.
My first question will be for all of the witnesses. Perhaps the responses could be in the order of the speakers list.
Before colonialism, first nations, Métis and Inuit had expertise, skills and their own form of economy. In what way does your corporation or agency promote and use the traditional systems to support first nations, Métis and Inuit expertise in your communities?