That's such a great question.
I think there are a couple of different elements of longevity. One is legislation that exists and that sets the Government of Canada on a path of commitment to first nations and, in the area of equity, as I mentioned, equal funding for services for first nations and services that exist in non-indigenous communities and municipalities oftentimes adjacent to that community.
The second thing, I would say, is the legal tools we provided through things like the UN declaration act, which will ensure that indigenous peoples have the legal tools they need not just to continue that progress, but—and I think this is sad—to fight for the rights our government has established in law, with future governments that maybe don't understand or don't care about the rights of indigenous peoples.
There is a lot of...I would just call it racism and systemic discrimination, both inside of government and outside of government. MPs come to this table, as you know, with wildly different experiences and beliefs, and the law that our government has passed to provide that framework will help to prevent, I would say, ongoing systemic oppression through, for example, a reduction of funding levels or through the removal of first nations care and control over many aspects of everyday functioning. That would be a huge step backwards, to be honest.
What I would expect, actually, after eight years of being involved.... Let's not forget that, indeed, Stephen Harper refused to meet with first nations leaders on a regular basis. Our Prime Minister, as you know, commits to meeting with all of the distinctions-based groups at the national level and at the regional level very frequently. At the national level, it's at least once a year. There are formalized mechanisms of meeting with indigenous peoples and leaders across this country. Those exist because of the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party.
Quite frankly, I think the expectation has been raised, and I hope that any party that wins government in the future will understand the importance of those relationships—