Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand here today to present a petition on behalf of many constituents in northern Manitoba and from across Canada.
The petitioners are pleading with the government to save the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.
I was honoured yesterday to engage in one of the most important debates that I have had the privilege of being involved in, a debate that was granted by you, Mr. Speaker, and I am thankful.
I would like to point out on behalf of the many people who have signed this petition what an irony it is that today we are celebrating the vote that was received by aboriginal people 50 years ago and yet the government is seeking to cut the funding to an organization that is run by aboriginal people and that is certainly based on the concept of self-government and self-determination, similar to the vote that they had.
The petitioners are asking the government to respect that spirit of self-determination and to extend the funding to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.