Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Leah, to support our relatives in the north—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I just got off the phone with Rick Laliberte. They're working on a Treaty 10 pandemic plan. They're starting to develop a plan. The Métis people are working with the first nations people. They're working with the mayors and the chiefs. They're working together from a perspective of geographic area and they're calling it the Treaty 10 pandemic plan.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Support that plan. They have trailers coming in. They need more PPE. They have ways to deal with the food security. Support that plan, because it's coming from the people who are directly affected: the Métis people and the first nations people. They're working together. That's what I would urge governments to support, the plan that's coming from the people themselves.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That is a good question. The simplest way is to work it so that the regional director from ISC works directly with the chiefs and councils to find the quickest, most effective and efficient way to get the resources out. It's one thing to have them, but it's another to find the quickest way out and to cut a lot of the bureaucratic red tape.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Always. The more inclusion, the better. Again, we need to get our people around decision-making tables, so the answer is yes. We have to get more involvement and more inclusion.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. I'll go to the throne speech first. This is the first time ever in the history of Canada that there is a whole chapter dedicated to indigenous people's issues. In that throne speech, there is strong reference to the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thanks, Gary. Yes, you need good information and you need good data to make informed decisions. We always say, before you make any type of decision, get the best information you can. Right now, it's really difficult to track the numbers and statistics. On reserve you can kind of track, but a lot of our people live off reserve, so it's with the provincial health authorities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's a good question, Gary. I'm glad you talked to Grand Chief Hardlotte because they're right there in the PA Grand Council. It has to do with their Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. It's in Winnipeg now. There's a whole issue about processing, trucking, carrying by planes—all these things.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Just as the historic failure to recognize first nations inherent and treaty rights, title and jurisdiction has resulted in an incomprehensible mess of competing authorities, the COVID-19 crisis shines a light on the real-life consequences to first nations citizens. Just as any government requires the fiscal capacity to exercise its jurisdiction efficiently and effectively, this crisis makes it even clearer that the time to act on the chronic underfunding of first nations governments is long overdue.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Don't forget the throne speech and the UN declaration.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thank you to all the committee members and, as well, to all the people listening and managing to be safe by doing this call through Zoom. It's an amazing thing. The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis for all of Canada as it is for the whole world. I wanted to acknowledge the work of all parties to co-operate and respond in a timely and effective way to deal with this issue.

Finance committee  Sure. Of the $305 million, there is $215 million for first nations, $35 million for the Inuit, $25 million for the Métis and $30 million for other indigenous organizations across Canada. As I said earlier, because of the existing socioeconomic conditions of first nations people not only on reserve, but off reserve as well, it's a little better, but almost 50% of our people do reside off reserve, off our territories.

Finance committee  THat's a good question. Thank you, Mr. Vidal. Regarding that whole piece on the wage subsidy program and the limited partnership model, there is a gap. I think there should be a targeted, specific project or plan to deal with that gap that's been identified. A lot of our businesses across Canada are going to be affected.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Julian, for the questions. To the first question regarding the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, I have been in contact with Jonathan Vance. He's targeting not only the 96 first nations communities but the Inuit communities as well. We had one case in Eabametoong First Nation in northern Ontario.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the invitation and the opportunity to appear. I want to acknowledge and give a shout-out to my fellow witnesses, Chief Yakeleya from the Northwest Territories and Chief Ghislain Picard from Quebec, as well as vice-president David Chartrand and president Calvin Helin.