Thank you, Madam Chair.
I, too, would like to thank all the witnesses here. As you can imagine, these are going to be very difficult hearings as we hear the stories and hear about the very difficult lives and challenges that people have had to face and experience. I can't say that I've walked in your shoes, but as a nurse who has worked in a number of communities in British Columbia, I certainly have felt some of the very difficult circumstances over time.
I'm just going to make a brief comment about this. I really appreciate, Ms. Tolley, the fact that you have that big stack of binders and recommendations. We're going to be doing a study, and I truly hope that out of the work we do, we're going to have some important recommendations that move forward.
I appreciate that many people are saying that they want to have a national inquiry, but I think all the information is probably in those books you have in that stack. In my opinion, being a nurse—and I think nurses like to have action—I much prefer to think that we can move forward and make a difference in these lives, rather than spending a lot of time and money in terms of another process. I do know that there are a lot of people who feel strongly about that, but I think we have some very valuable recommendations and it's up to the wisdom to say what.... Obviously, I don't think anyone has the capacity to move forward on everything at one time, but I think the key pieces that we can perhaps move forward on are very important. I just wanted to make that comment.
I know that we do talk about resources, but I also have to say that one of the most powerful events I've attended was an angel walk, and it was with one of the local aboriginal communities. It was led by a husband and wife who beat the cycle of abuse, addiction, and violence. We heard from the elder, a gentleman who spoke to the children. It was a community event. It was organized by the people in that community who cared. His message was as powerful, I think, as any that could have been given. He talked about his past. So I think we need to also reflect on where some of the strengths are that we can help to draw on in terms of those kinds of issues.
I would like to talk to our friend from Manitoba.
You talk about living on reserve and about people often having to leave. Can you talk a little more about the dynamics of having to leave the reserve, as a victim or otherwise? I understand that you had some band council leadership aspirations at one point and you chose to not act on those. Could you talk a bit about that transition? It sounds like a very critical transition for those people who leave the small communities up north and end up in Vancouver, or Kamloops, or Winnipeg.