Canadian Heritage committee  The consult just isn't strong enough. I feel there's still no obligation to fund it. All they're saying in that clause is that they're going to talk to indigenous peoples about the funding and about what might be required.

Canadian Heritage committee  I did have that question, and I did consult a lawyer, in fact.

Canadian Heritage committee  His advice was that I was right, that there is no obligation to fund. That is a concern. I'm just saying it needs to be strengthened.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Those are good questions. We are working with the AFN on a structure for the budget, so I'm not too concerned about that. I think that piece is going to come together quite quickly. What I'm concerned about is the legislation not saying that it's oblige

Canadian Heritage committee  The national organization and the office of the commissioner need to be separate. What would be great to emulate from our model is to bring indigenous experts and technicians together, give them the opportunity to influence the type of programming that happens, and enable them t

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, even evenings like you.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. The model I was thinking would be similar to First Peoples', and we have really gone into the role of what that organization would look like in our full publication which we have made available, but we do see the role of the commissioner as separate from the role of t

Canadian Heritage committee  Sure. We started in 1990. We're a provincial Crown corporation. We have a board of directors of 13 directors and then we have an advisory committee made up of a representative from every language in British Columbia. Our mandate is to revitalize language, arts, culture and herita

Canadian Heritage committee  In our approach in British Columbia?

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, though, as a small organization your priorities reflect the funding that you have. I can say yes, we try to take the holistic approach but, for example, we have a mandate of heritage and we currently don't have any funding for heritage.

Canadian Heritage committee  It's for three years.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that question. I just want to address diversity first. In British Columbia we have—

Canadian Heritage committee  Okay, sure. There hasn't been a great experience with partnering with linguists and universities with regard to data. A lot of academics have worked with indigenous communities and copyrighted materials and then not made those materials available back to indigenous peoples. It's

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, thank you. We see a difference between the work that needs to go on to support making revitalization happen and the work of a commissioner. Again, they're the ombudsman. They take the complaints. I don't think they necessarily are the best option to support communities to d

Canadian Heritage committee  We acknowledge the traditional territory of the Algonquin people. We thank you for the invitation to discuss this important bill. I am Tracey Herbert from St'uxwtews First Nation of the Secwepemc Nation in B.C. I have the privilege of being the CEO for First Peoples' Cultural C