Mr. Speaker, the member has put forth a number of very good questions. I commend her for continuing her work for her constituents, which she has always done well.
I am pleased to take this opportunity to talk specifically about the government's commitment to first nations education, which was the major part of the member's question.
I want to point out that the department is aware of the situation in St. Theresa Point and is actively looking at a sustainable long term solution to this issue.
I would like to describe a few of the promising changes under way in Canada with respect to aboriginal education,but before I do I should point out the ongoing commitment of the government to improve educational outcomes for the first nations, Inuit and Métis people of Canada through a series of steps which began some 18 months ago.
To my mind, the best leaders are those who challenge the status quo. When he took office, the Prime Minister vowed to improve the often miserable and unhealthy conditions experienced by far too many aboriginal people in Canada. It was a promise heard many times before, yet it was often abandoned when budgets were tightened and political will evaporated.
This time, though, the Prime Minister followed through on his commitment. He began with a series of changes to the highest echelons of government, all devoted to aboriginal affairs. The government then did something that had never been done before. Aboriginal groups were invited to help devise and implement government policy. For the first time in history, aboriginal people in Canada would participate in a major drafting of the urgent policies that directly affect their communities.
The Canada-aboriginal peoples round table began in April 2004, when representatives of aboriginal organizations from across Canada sat down alongside cabinet ministers, senators and officials from the provinces and territories. The meetings were productive and focused. Timetables and performance measures were established. A series of sectoral follow-up sessions began shortly after the round table adjourned. Last May, representatives of five national aboriginal organizations attended a policy retreat with Prime Minister and cabinet.
The next step in the process--securing the support of the provinces and territories--is already under way and will culminate in the first ministers meeting later this week. From the outset of this process, the parties appreciated that they shared a responsibility and needed to seize this unique opportunity to improve the lives of aboriginal people. Everyone responded with honesty, selflessness and passion.
I am convinced the collective will now exists to make such needed improvements in the first nations school system. The collaborative approach to leadership, adopted through the round table process, one that has fostered progress on issues related to housing, economic development and self-government, has also inspired a fresh start on aboriginal education.
Officials from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada are working closely with aboriginal groups and other key partners on a series of transformative changes to aboriginal education. While the Government of Canada has spent more than $1 billion on first nations elementary and secondary education in 2004-05, all parties agree that a sustainable solution to aboriginal education will require more than just money.
The current atmosphere of cooperation and partnership, or collaborative leadership, makes me optimistic about the future for aboriginal education. The parties recognize that they must work together to succeed in making the most of this opportunity. I hope the member will be supportive of global initiatives over the whole aboriginal system and I hope her particular case advances as well.