Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for North Island—Powell River for her words about my family and our health. It is appreciated. One of the first cancellations due to COVID was my trip to Vancouver Island, a very special place in this country that I look forward to having a few more blue spots on in the near future.
I appreciate the member sharing her own family perspective. I said quite frankly in my speech that my party has to work on reconciliation. The Prime Minister's arrogance seems to make him think he does not have to work on reconciliation. It is a commitment I have made and tried to live up to before I became a parliamentarian. It was a commitment I made when I met with Chief Atleo and Chief Bellegarde in my capacity as a minister of the Crown.
I have spoken to Chief Bellegarde several times and he knows of my time doing pro bono work with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business because, unlike the Prime Minister, I want real progress, not just photo ops. That is what we owe indigenous communities, particularly on a day when we are wearing orange. We owe a commitment. I told Chief Bellegarde how disappointed I was when the last bill in the last Parliament from the Prime Minister was the child welfare bill.
If we read the Tina Fontaine report from Manitoba, multiple levels of government failed that Canadian. The Prime Minister crammed the bill in during the final months of Parliament, had to use closure for its passage and had not even done proper consultations. That is not serious reconciliation. The more Canadians, including indigenous Canadians, get to know me, they will know I want serious progress and less symbolism.