I'd like to thank the witnesses for their discussions this morning around treaties.
I heard Chief Frost and Eva Clayton talking about looking at the modern-day treaties of more than 25 years and 30 years. I listened to Chief Sunshine talk about a treaty of more than at least 150 years since its signing. Then, as a Mi'kmaq person celebrating the 300th year of our treaties with peace and friendship, there's a wide range in terms of how treaties have unfolded in this Canada. One thing we can all agree on is that they're foundational documents that have led to the creation of this country.
I think another thing we can all agree on is that we need to find better ways to implement them, whether it's 300 years, whether it's 180 years or whether it's 20 or 30 years. I have to commend the modern treaty nations who have said, you know, these things we signed between 25 or 30 years ago aren't working out as well as we'd like. Instead of going to litigation, as many of us as nations all across Canada have done, which is costly and timely, you're taking a new approach. You're saying, you know, if we have a modern-day treaty commissioner, maybe we can figure out what the differences are and what things we're not happy with. We can create some kind of oversight, accountability and action from government; I applaud them for that.
Eva, I'll go to you for my first question. If we can get this legislation across, if we can get a modern treaty commissioner in place, what's an example of things you think you would be able to bring—things that we can't do currently—that would help be resolved with a modern-day treaty commissioner in place ?