Mr. Speaker, the real question is why, after 13 years in power, did the member, when he was finance minister, his party and his government fail to act for aboriginal Canadians? Why is it that they waited until the 11th hour and 59th minute to put together a press release in Kelowna rather than delivering for aboriginal Canadians, as we have in the budget, with an additional $450 million over two years?
That is why the head of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples said, “We're very pleased with the budget.... We see this as a down payment on the Kelowna agreement”.