Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on the statement made yesterday by the member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake regarding the potential funding scenarios to the aboriginal friendship centre program.
On behalf of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, last Friday I met personally with the National Association of Friendship Centres and had an opportunity to listen to NAFC concerns about the program review exercise and the impact on their centres, several of which I have visited in recent months.
The federal government recognizes that the aboriginal friendship centres movement is essential to the cultural survival of native people who leave their reserves to settle, whether on a permanent or a temporary basis, in the city.
The program review exercise is a government wide initiative. The Department of Canadian Heritage as well as other federal departments will have to make decisions that will be consistent with government policies and priorities.
The Liberal government has made it one of its priorities to help communities-