Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Saint‑Boniface—Saint-Vital for her speech. Having served with her on the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, I find her presence reassuring. She is all about conciliation and listening, which are so important in the relationship with first nations. However, the reason this bill exists today is that, for decades, governments failed to carry out the follow-up required by modern treaties and expected by the first nations who signed agreements with the government. That is how we have gotten to this point decades later. I want to commend the Land Claims Agreement Coalition for its leadership. It championed these claims and helped to co-develop this bill. Ultimately, this bill exists is because the follow-up measures were not carried out.
As a member of the government, will my colleague ensure that action is taken on the recommendations that the commissioner will submit? How can we ensure that the government and the ministers responsible will take the data and recommendations set out in these reports seriously, as it does the recommendations of the Auditor General or the Parliamentary Budget Officer? What responsibility does she intend to take internally to ensure that the government complies with these recommendations?
