Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Are you talking about the Liberal government?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Okay. I would say that [Witness speaks in Cree]. Translate that. I see a little bit of change. It sounds like the willingness is there but at the same time we're not seeing a lot of evidence of that talk. I can say there is a level of respect for our first nations from this gov

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Absolutely. I think we need to transform the whole way we deal with transferring dollars. I don't even like to say “transferring dollars”, because it's money that rightfully belongs to the first nations and to the people themselves. We need to completely transform the way we co

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Again, I reiterate what I said to Don about putting the accountability back to the people themselves. I can't really speak on the intention of what actually happened with the previous grand chief in our region. I simply don't know, and I don't understand the logic completely. Al

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think one of the biggest hopes I have is that as indigenous people we're getting into all different facets of society, and one of them is the aboriginal financing officers organization. I think it's called the AFOA. I know that in Swampy Cree some members from there are part of

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I know that a lot of people are calling out for the abolishment of the Indian Act. I think that's the right way to go as we move forward. I also know that we need to have a process designed by our first nations and by incredibly talented and intelligent people like you, who have

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, for sure. Winter roads make up just one of the areas that limit those opportunities. When a first nation finally gets approved for a certain amount of housing, they then have to quickly find the materials, buy the materials, and arrange for transportation. That takes time. I

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Absolutely. There are so many challenges in our north, and especially in the remote communities, that the south will never understand. That also has to do with capacity. Sometimes there are housing projects for a short season. People are trained up with their carpentry skills.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I know that our communities report the most, but at the same time they're not given the resources to even do that, in terms of the connectivity and the reporting the way everyone is used to reporting now, going online and doing their financial paperwork there. That's an issue.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Absolutely. I think it spells it out quite clearly and easily when you look at UNDRIP and the calls to action. It calls for mutual respect and even collaboration in working with our first nations to start to address a lot of these policies that negatively impact our communities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, I don't, and I don't think doing that would be fair to any of the communities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There just really isn't, and at the end of the day, it's usually the young people and the sick people who suffer the most.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There isn't in northern Manitoba. There are partnerships in Nelson House, for example, but there's not a trust fund.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm sure there is. I don't know details of how agreements and trust funds work. I'm sure they are different in every community, but for sure the more we can streamline the policies that affect that, the better, because that just goes back to the same thing that you're holding bac

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  For sure I think we can look at everything like that, but at the same time, we also have to remember that you're talking about people who are not used to that yet. The power to control and manage their own resources has been taken away from them. They can manage their own familie