Mr. Speaker, I know that my hon. colleague across the floor has a great number of years of experience in his prior life.
This is a new start for these first nations who will have the capacity to take advantage of this legislation. It does necessitate a change in philosophy.
I want the member to tell the House and members of the public about those first nations who are ready to take this step, the health of those first nations and their desire to move forward with a new economic reality. This includes the management of the fiscal resources that will flow from their use of this legislation, which the member knows is optional even though it was piloted by some proponent first nations. If other first nations want to go forward with it, that ability will still be there.
I would like the member to draw upon his experiences and perhaps talk about some of the first nations that are ready to take this historic leap forward.