It is the provincial or territorial system that would have a more direct link with their regional health agencies, as well as with the patients, communities and the women who access their services. This issue was not submitted to us by first nations or Inuit leaders who participate in our processes. That does not mean, however, that nothing was going on. It simply means that we were not working with them on these matters.
There are several other matters we do study with them, such as cultural competency in the health care system and discriminatory practices. Those points are submitted to our upper management committee in the course of our work, as well as to our regional and national first nations partners. That practice, however, did not come up specifically. At least it was not raised since my arrival at the branch.