Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question. As everyone knows, the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs are now en route to Tyendinaga to pursue a peaceful resolution, which is the solution we are all seeking. That dialogue needs to happen as soon as possible. That is what we are doing.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all feel encouraged by the new development with the RCMP in British Columbia, which offered the hereditary chiefs an opportunity to sit down and work on a long-term plan that could involve a reduced presence in their territory, obviously.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, I think we all heard the Leader of the Opposition's speech today. It was shameful.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  I listened to it and I found it shameful, so yes, I did listen to the other view. I found it retrograde. I found it—

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Yes, it was simplistic. Madam Speaker, I think the member opposite should speak. I think he is qualifying his own leader in a better way than I can. The reality is that every—

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, every time we hear members opposite cry for law and order, it triggers a number of communities and it triggers bad memories. I am loath to understand the perspective of the Leader of the Opposition from the comfort of his residence in Stornoway, when there are people on the line whose lives are at risk and he should appreciate that.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite and his party for their support during this difficult time. This is a situation that is evolving hour by hour. Two hours ago, I had the chance to brief the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations on the status of discussions.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Like that of the NDP, I appreciate his party's support during these very difficult circumstances. Clearly, I was nervous. A lot of people told me not to go, not to listen and to leave it to the officials, but when you begin a process of trust with a group where trust is absent, it is very difficult to make that approach.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, too often in this country we have taken the approach that we would pick whatever indigenous view suits our thoughts and our process. That is not self-determination. That is not respect. We need to understand the decisions that are made by communities and not take a simplistic view as to what is or what is not, or presume the outcome in an indigenous community.

Relations with Indigenous Peoples  Madam Speaker, I want to share with this House something very personal, that I have not shared with anyone other than close friends and family, about an incident that occurred 30 years ago. Thirty years ago, at the age of 16 turning 17, I decided to enrol in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we agree that we must compensate first nations children who were harmed as a result of government policies related to child and family services in the past. We want a solution that is both comprehensive and fair. As my colleague knows very well, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the Government of Canada to begin discussions on a process for compensating victims of federal discrimination against first nations children, and that is what we are doing.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, our commitment to compensate first nation children harmed by past child and family services policy is firm and remains firm. Canada has named senior officials from my department and the Department of Justice to conduct discussions. Those discussions are ongoing and will be kept on a strictly confidential basis to build trust between the parties, which heretofore has not been the case.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, to put it clearly, no first nation child will go without funding. This is about advancing first nations control of first nations education. Stoney Nakoda and the Stoney Education Authority expressed an interest in taking over the administration of their own funding agreement with the Canadian Rockies Public Schools division from my department, and we did so.

Indigenous Affairs  [Member spoke in Mi’kmaq and provided the following text:] Wela’lin ta’n telpi panigasin. [Member provided the following translation:] Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. [English] We are implementing the indigenous languages act in collaboration with those who know best how to revitalize their languages, indigenous peoples and teachers, and we are doing so by providing $337 million over the next five years for indigenous languages and $1,500 per year for each kindergarten to grade 12 first nation student as part of the new co-developed education funding policy.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, today we are in full compliance with all of the tribunal's orders to address the overrepresentation of first nation children in care. We have almost doubled funding to child and family services, and close to 500,000 Jordan's principle requests have been approved. We agree that the most recent orders for compensation for first nation children harmed by government policies must be respected.