Mr. Speaker, that was a good question because it goes to the root of democracy in any claim agreement.
The Tlicho agreement has a section on gender equality. Although it is implied in that section that Tlicho citizens, including women, would have a larger voice in governance and would be given more opportunities to influence their communities' political agendas and priorities, women are protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. What more could we want than that? Under the charter women are persons and are protected like everyone else.
The other question the member raised was in regard to matrimonial property rights. The Tlicho society is a sharing society. In all the years I have interacted with the Tlicho as a woman, I do not believe I have ever been discriminated against. Many of my relatives are Tlicho. The Tlicho is a working society and a society that shares its collective aspirations for its people. The Tlicho people share with one another. They may have needs but they are just the needs of human beings. If someone is a woman, an infant or a disabled person they have needs that have to be met. This enabling document would l give them what they need. It would give them the resources and tools they need to give better expression to full democracy.