The laws have been translated, but they are not being respected. We feel that things should be simpler because we come under federal jurisdiction. It would be logical to think that it would be easier to exercise some influence, and that we would have a little more clout, but there is no evidence of that. It is related to the factor that I mentioned earlier, namely, indifference.
How often do we hear a member in the House of Commons ask the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development a question related to his responsibilities for the North? Almost never. However, he does have a great deal of authority. For example, when Nunavut was created, there was no need to consult with the entire country: but we still needed the signature of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in order to have our new territory called Nunavut.
That leads us to believe that he does have the necessary authority to deal with other issues. But that is not being done and indifference is the reason why.