I think the apology that was delivered in the House of Commons was a very moving event. I'm sure you would attest to that. I watched it on television and presided over an event at the department. People were in tears and were quite moved by it.
What I think it's done is reinforce a couple of things. One is that there is an opportunity for the rest of Canada, if we're wise enough to step through the door, for a new reconciliation or relationship with aboriginal peoples in the country. I think that's a challenge to all of us.
The other, I think, to try to link it to Mr. Christopherson's question, is that it sort of redoubled everybody's commitment to children and young people, in that the experiences of the kids who went through residential schools should never be repeated in terms of separation from family, isolation, being cut off from their historical roots, and so on.
There are an awful lot of aboriginal kids in this country. We have a baby boom in aboriginal Canada. It's really important that we improve child protection services, child welfare, and basic education services to them. Coming out of the apology, I think that commitment is there from all kinds of parties.
Not to go on too long, Mr. Chair, that's why these partnerships are becoming possible: old quarrels about jurisdiction and whose responsibility it was are melting away because people want to put the children first.