Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister, I think indigenous communities were particularly surprised by your comments regarding federal investment in roads. That's because so many indigenous communities across the country have very urgent road transportation needs, especially in remote communities, whether they are communities in Nunavut's Kivalliq region or the four first nations in northern Manitoba that declared a state of emergency this past winter because of the state of their ice roads.
In northern B.C., the region that I represent, there are similar urgent road priorities. The Takla First Nation accesses the community of Takla Landing using a resource road whose maintenance is at the whim of the resource companies that happen to be operating in the region. They've expressed a desire to see federal investment in their transportation options.
On Highway 37 in northwest B.C., which accesses Tahltan territory, there are several producing mines that are contributing to your government's critical mineral strategy. Those communities have expressed a need to upgrade that highway. There have been over 500 accidents on that highway since 2018.
These are really urgent needs. I suppose my question to you is this: Do you not agree, particularly given the federal government's unique and important relationship with indigenous communities, that these kinds of projects should be priorities for federal investment?