Mr. Speaker, it is statements like that, obviously based on an incomplete knowledge of the facts, that lead people to get the wrong impression.
The member says that the Prime Minister is author of the current policy on Indian Affairs. The Indian Act was around approximately 75 years before the current Prime Minister came to the House of Commons. To suggest that somehow he is responsible for all the problems that face the aboriginal communities is absolutely false.
The Prime Minister and the Minister for Indian and Northern Affairs are working extremely hard to move toward self-government. His personal commitment, the commitment of the Prime Minister to abolish the department of Indian and northern Affairs, is a real reflection of his understanding that we do not need paternalism in government policy. What we need is equality and that is what we are moving toward.