Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I was referring to transparency and accountability in terms of the development of the bill. They were to occur hand in hand with the interim committee. I know there have been questions in and around whether that has been upheld. By way of process, if we're not getting that right, are we really setting ourselves up well for what's to come?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  What comes to mind quickly is transparency in and around the development of the bill. It was recommended by the interim committee that the bill be developed in collaboration—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. I'm thinking about responsibility here to the self and the collective. To me, that is at the core of economic reconciliation. The Honourable Murray Sinclair, the former justice, has been heard saying time and time again that we have to know who we are and where we come from, that at the core, when we understand those two questions, we understand the responsibilities we carry in terms of advancing a better quality of life and ways of life for ourselves and the generations to come.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's a critical question. Transparency, accountability and independence become critical in this instance. In the selection of members, I'd recommend that the committee examine other means to appoint the members, the board of directors and the length of terms. In my experience, having come as an order in council appointee to Ontario's administrative justice system, I've dealt a lot with terms of service.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Absolutely. Economic reconciliation is the vehicle forward in terms of setting our peoples or communities back on a path to prosperity—not only our nation, but the country as a whole. It really does lead to a strong social fabric. With the emphasis on ensuring that we are well positioned on that front, at that point I see us achieving some tangible outcomes and the dial shifting in the right direction, as it should.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'd like to respond first, if that's okay, Mr. Chair.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I studied law at the University of Ottawa between 2009 and 2012. That was at a time when indigenous legal scholars John Borrows and Val Napoleon out of the University of Victoria's faculty of law initiated, in partnership with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a project on the revitalization of indigenous laws.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  At the cut of it is that with a strong economy comes a strong social fabric, and that's the story where I come from. We've invested in fur trade—we almost put Hudson's Bay out of business—and timber, and most recently in our own hydro dam project. Leadership time and time again has focused on clear, tangible results in terms of our local economy, and as a result we've enjoyed that strong social fabric.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I understood your question in French, but I'm going to answer in English because the words escape me in French. My mother is francophone, so I know the French language very well. I appreciate your recommendation. It's definitely difficult to start nailing down a list, because it forever grows.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  My apologies. I think I threw off the room by speaking in French. It certainly wasn't my intent. I agree. I recognize the role that the national organization has played with respect to indigenous women taking leadership and addressing issues that impact them. I put to you that the list that I provided is not exhaustive, that all organizations and indigenous peoples—including women—are working to be part of the solution moving forward and that absolutely NWAC should be involved in a more formal capacity, and I would recommend that they be invited to nominate a representative on the council.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Again, writ large—and speaking on behalf of myself, my experience and where I come from—what we're seeing across the country is the shift in responsibility being re-established with indigenous women. We are really leading the way on that front. It's not so much a power dynamic as it is a responsibility to honour the roles we play at home in raising those next generations.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  All right. I'm keen to hear from the others, so I'll stick to my 90 seconds. Thank you for recognizing that piece. I wrote it from the heart. It was my first piece for The Hub Canada, and I'm encouraging everyone to check it out. At the core of who we are as a people—and I speak on behalf of myself and those who have come before me in Dokis and Nipissing areas—is that we are by nature hustlers, entrepreneurial people.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Aaniin. Bonjour. Hello. My name is Karen Restoule. I am from Dokis First Nation, with relations in Nipissing and Temagami first nations, and I am honoured to have been invited here today to share insights on Bill C-29. In addition to recognizing each member of the committee here, I wish to recognize those who led the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: the commissioners, the secretariat and everyone who experienced residential schools, including, most importantly, the survivors who had the courage to live through these experiences as well as share with the TRC and Canadians their truths.