Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, Madam Minister. Thank you for agreeing to appear before the committee again.
There is no denying that the committee has heard the figures often, and I don't want to go over them again. The Auditor General's report is very alarming when it comes to new housing construction. Everyone agrees on that, and you have accepted the recommendations in the report. Very little new housing has been built compared with what is needed. In addition, very few of the units that need major repairs have been renovated.
In your opening remarks you mentioned that, 150 years after confederation, you had finally arrived at the conclusion that the federal government should withdraw from indigenous issues as much as possible. I think that's a very good thing. However, one of the major obstacles to building indigenous housing and the development of first nations is found in the elements of the Indian Act.
I know this falls under the Department of Indigenous Services Canada and the Department of Crown‑Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs but, as minister, what are you doing to at least reduce the obstacles? You said you should withdraw from indigenous issues as much as possible and allow indigenous people to manage themselves.