Thank you, Chair.
I also want to thank Mr. Wernick for being here today to help provide some input for the study we're doing on the housing report from the AG.
I want to bring it back to the topic you first brought up in your opening and that a couple of my colleagues brought up: the Indian Act and the need to move away from it.
I fully agree this would deliver great benefits for indigenous communities, were we able to do this. I would also say I was a little alarmed when my colleague Mr. Stewart talked about the positives of this act, when we know this is an act that is, by its very nature, racist, and that treats indigenous people as wards of the state. It has many impediments to dealing not only with issues like getting housing built but also with economic development and many others.
Putting a 10-year timeline on this is a huge challenge. As you mentioned, there are 630 indigenous communities across the country. While there has been some progress through modern treaties, self-government agreements and otherwise, it's a huge challenge to move ahead, because each indigenous community is distinct.
How would you recommend the government or future governments move ahead with this in order to accelerate more self-determination and self-governance for nations?