Mr. Speaker, the member opposite says “careful” and he knows that I know of what I speak.
The Kelowna accord offered promise and hope for first nations people. The government has moved a baby step forward, and I am not being critical of it, but what we need is a holistic, integrated response to first nations people that understands the needs, the local conditions and is geared to individual communities and jurisdictions.
To answer the member's question, yes, I speak regularly with first nations communities.