Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ladies, Mr. Minister, welcome to the committee.
We've heard a great deal about you , sir, in particular about your expertise on Aboriginal rights. We're pleased that you could join us.
I'd like to speak to you first about Ms. Wendy Grant-John. Could you clarify her mandate? Is she expected to achieve some results? If so, what are they? What do you expect of her by the end of her mandate?
You pointed out in your opening statement that the Government of Canada has already done a lot of work examining the question of rights for Aboriginal women. Many reports have been produced, considerable research has been done, and countless hearings have been held. Don't you think that there have already been too many consultations, if we include Ms. Grant-John's consultation process, given that women continue to wait for some results?
You are a man of considerable experience. Do you know if the rights issue was discussed at all in the Erasmus-Dussault report?
If the rights of Aboriginal people were recognized, as Aboriginals are now asking the UN to do, could we not, in your opinion, come to some sort of arrangement with First Nations so that Canada would no longer have to pass laws and keep Aboriginal peoples under their control?