Mr. Speaker, the reply is as follows:
a) The government will fund the Sisters in Spirit initiative to an amount of $5 million over 5 years. As with any funding, there is always a rigourous process to follow to ensure accountability to the public.
b) Status of Women is finalizing a contribution agreement with the Native Women's Association of Canada. Once finalized, the funding will be released in compliance with the Contribution Agreement clauses.
c) The government is committed to delivering the funding in phases and will continue to work collaboratively with the Native Women's Association of Canada to implement the Sisters in Spirit initiative.