Status of Women committee  Absolutely. In fact, that is one of the foundational principles in the urban sub-working group's national action plan, which I encourage you to read, because it talks about funding indigenous-led organizations. That's where the solutions are. All too often, non-indigenous organizations receive the funding.

Status of Women committee  Sure. Again, this is rooted in.... You have resource communities parachuting in and staying for a short period of time, or even a long period of time—but there's a designated time. They're never going to be part of the community permanently. They're all temporary. Many of these industries are male-dominated, so now you're back to that formula of men with money who are transient.

Status of Women committee  I would say specifically for the role the federal government can play that I would prioritize giving the resources to the indigenous communities and to the indigenous leadership for those answers, rather than giving the dollars to the industry itself. I think the industry itself can probably afford to invest and should be investing into their own growth and development when it comes to addressing violence against indigenous women and being proactive when they are entering into communities when they're setting up shop.

Status of Women committee  I'll have to look at that again. It was through the national task force. This industry company was, at their own expense, bringing families to the camps. It's primarily men within these camps. Rather than isolating them, they were bringing in funding for families to come into the camps on a regular basis.

Status of Women committee  Thank you, Leah. It's nice to see you. There are two important things. It's really as basic as having men with money who are transient. You're going to have forms of sexual exploitation and violence. Through the national task force, as well as my experience working in an organization providing family violence support services, I have to say those are pretty consistent, almost guaranteed dynamics that exist.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. I said yes, and this is another example of not signing on to UNDRIP, and thus not valuing the strengths and the inherent rights of indigenous people in Canada, which has implications that bring us here today and what we're talking about.

Status of Women committee  It's really important to acknowledge those natural laws that are inherent in the lives of those in our first nations communities. I will make reference to one, Grand Council Treaty No. 3, which is one of many that I hope this committee explores. It has a Great Earth Law. Reading that law will really help you understand how everything is interconnected—valuing the connection to the land, water and sky, and also to the implication of what happens to people.

Status of Women committee  The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People is a really important human rights instrument to recognize the inherent rights of indigenous people. This goes also to what I was speaking of in my opening: We have our own laws and we have also our own solutions to very complex issues.

Status of Women committee  Yes, I agree with that. It's just another way that our nationhood is not validated.

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  I do not have stats.

Status of Women committee  I would like, first of all, to say that all the answers and the solutions are always at the community, the grassroots, level. We strongly believe that in doing all this work on violence against women a co-development approach is critical, so you have government, industry and communities sitting at a common table to co-develop and co-create what the solutions are to really get ahead of it and be proactive.

Status of Women committee  Absolutely. Everybody needs to be at the table planning for that in a meaningful way and, again, getting back to co-development and co-management.

Status of Women committee  The third one, of course, is the MKO—the work done by the northern first nations in Manitoba. The fourth one is the urban sub-working group's report. The fifth one is the Grand Council Treaty No. 3, which has a great earth law. These are traditional laws made for and by indigenous people within their territory.

Status of Women committee  Thank you. [Witness spoke in Ojibwe] [English] My spirit name is Love Eagle and I'm from the Caribou Clan. My English name is Diane Redsky. I acknowledge the traditional territory and Shoal Lake first nation for the water that is provided from my community to the city of Winnipeg.