Mr. Speaker, as an Inuk of which there is no reference, I am deeply troubled by the Conservative government's budget tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday, May 3.
The current government has not addressed the needs of Canada's aboriginal peoples. The government has neglected to address the serious challenges for the people of Nunavut, to develop educational programs and promote language skills geared specifically for Nunavummiut.
The recent Berger report stressed the importance of education and development in Inuktitut and English language skills in the north and yet another opportunity has been ignored to implement the recommendations.
The announcement of the annual $1,200 universal child care benefit for children under the age of six does not address the serious shortage of child care spaces in Nunavut.
While I applaud the funding for housing, it is a one time investment, not the multi-year plan we had under the Kelowna accord.