Thank you.
I think the most important thing to understand, of course, is that sometimes some of our knowledge has been taken and exploited in certain ways, so there are times when indigenous peoples are more protective of our science and our ways of being. As we move forward to ensure that this is done in a meaningful manner—in a partnership, if you will—I think the biggest thing is not assuming that both will be in contradiction but that both will complement each other.
Indigenous people may not have typical western data that supports our theories, our theses or our understanding of how the ecosystem is working or of how our lands are or of how the project may impact our water systems, but I think the most important thing when we're having those conversations is that everyone is together at the table, both indigenous peoples and our western scientists.
We need to understand that most times, our indigenous ways of being and our science are in fact complementary. We need to ensure that there's an opportunity to voice those areas so that both can see that when we're focusing on ensuring that we're keeping our lands safe, we're taking into consideration the next seven generations and ensuring that any economic development or any projects that are done on our lands are done in a manner that will be sustainable for not only the region but also the nation and Canadians as a whole.
It's also ensuring that the science is respected. Through that respect, there will be more of an opportunity for indigenous peoples to want to share that information and more of an opportunity for indigenous youth to see that there's an opportunity to further share our science and our knowledge as we grow into a better Canada.