I would like to stay on that topic. I agree with you, but a lot of Aboriginal people want to move forward. The fact is that they don't have the money to do that. The fact that they live in poverty prevents them from pursuing post-secondary studies. The amount of money they receive the from the government is not enough to educate young people. You are our future, and your children are our future.
The lack of funding for infrastructure plays an important role in the fact that your communities live in poverty and Aboriginals in urban environments are also living in poverty. Program funding is inadequate. For example, this lady talked about funding for friendship centres. It's fine to say that the money is flowing through Health Canada, but they are not getting more. They have been making do with the same amount of money for 10 years now. The urban Aboriginal population has increased. They can't educate and help people the way they should. As a result, they're very restricted.
In terms of a lack of funding for education, you talked about the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Perhaps you could explain what impact this is having on your community at the present time. Are those programs still operating? The government said that the money had been allocated to the Department of Health and that programs would be set up through it. What does that mean for your community?
I would also like to say a word or two about the Canadian Firearms Registry, because we are talking about violence here. I am one of the MPs who voted to see the bill move forward in committee. Inside my own caucus, I voted to see it move forward in committee. And I will explain why. There are 17 Aboriginal communities in my riding. How does the Canadian Firearms Registry affect your communities and your rights as Aboriginals? Has the Canadian Firearms Registry really had a positive impact on your communities? It's important to remember that when the registry was first created, a number of things happened. Some organizations that worked with victims told me that it wasn't really the registry itself, but rather the fact that there were changes to the way shotguns had to be locked up and stored and the fact that ammunition has to be stored separately, that really resulted in changes in their community. Could you tell us a little bit about the impact of these measures and whether you are in favour of the registry?
Chief, you talked about sharing natural resources. I can tell you that in Ontario, and with Mr. Layton and the rest of our caucus, we are talking about the fact that, where natural resources are concerned, this money has to be shared. You would not have to ask the government to give you the necessary funding, because you would already have it. A community that had its own money could set up its own programs.
Let's not forget that when the white man came here to your land, you said that you would share. But instead of that, we see governments taking more and more. They stopped giving what they used to give, even though they said you shouldn't live in poverty. I would be interested in your comments on that. I think there is really an impact on violence against women. We could eliminate it if we made some adjustments.
I have to mention a story that Jack Layton told yesterday. He was talking about a community in Attawapiskat where 15 people live in the same house. Someone asked a member of the family where his brother was, because Mr. Layton wanted to meet him. The person answered that his brother had gone to bed because it was his turn to use the bed. There were 15 people living in that house and they had to use the beds on a rotational basis. I will end on that note.