Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
We're talking about quite significant structural problems. The Auditor General discussed four main structural problems. She mentioned poorly defined service levels, a lack of a legislative base, deficient funding mechanisms and a lack of organization to support local service delivery.
The structural problems are really central to the problems we have observed in relations with first nations, particularly managing or obtaining services. I believe that raises some general questions.
I would like to be able to summarize a few of the Auditor General's past reports. They identified the same problems. Among others, in 2000, 2003 and 2004 in particular, an important factor appears to have been the department's interpretation of its role with regard to services to first nations and on reserves.
In 2004, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which had reviewed the 2004 report, indicated that the committee was not satisfied that, even if it had a clear set of roles and responsibilities, the department would want or be able to translate them into practical and useful policies because it did not necessarily have a clearly defined understanding of the role and responsibilities under the Constitution Act.
One thing isn't clear in the subsequent reports. Since that time, has the department clarified its role in program management and its relations with first nations? Is it more a guardian or manager role?