Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We are eager to get out and meet with indigenous people and get their perspective on what needs they have, so that we can properly promote and support indigenous people across this country.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for that offer. [Witness spoke in Secwepemctsin] [English] Thank you for the generous offer of supporting us to be able to do our work more importantly. When and if we need it, we will and have been reaching out to various members of Parliament and letting them know about the indigenous language legislation, the mandate of the commission and where we are in building up the commission.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm very grateful for the work you are doing. As I said, the witnesses have come forward and made statements here. We're going to be reviewing them. They will be very helpful in informing the commission on how to better do its work going forward. We are grateful for that. Thank you all for your interest.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I've lost my train of thought. If I misspeak and I [Witness spoke in Secwepemctsin] [English] I apologize if I caused anybody any heartache. I'm just here to try to best explain what the commission is trying to do to support the reclamation and revitalization of indigenous languages.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I lived in the city for a while, in Vancouver. I ran away from residential school and I went to and stayed in Vancouver, but I went home. I think all our people go back to their home. There, they have the opportunity to learn about and engage in the traditional practices that we have.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We have had invitations to speak at events in person or on video link, to provide interviews for local media and to meet with—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If you'll allow me—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  When we've had the opportunity and the time, because of our focus, once again.... You can understand that we're building a complex organization here, and it's not easy work to conduct this. It takes a lot of effort and time, and we want to do the right thing. Yes, we've met with indigenous organizations and indigenous chiefs and engaged with communities wherever and whenever we had the opportunity and—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Again, we've been able.... Whenever and wherever we can, we've been able to meet with indigenous organizations and go to indigenous communities. Our Inuit representative is from northern Quebec, and he has met with and spoken with Inuit people in Quebec, but we are not in a position to fully engage with communities at this stage.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No. It hasn't been a problem for us, but we've been very definitive that we won't allow interference in our work, because it's critical. Especially when we move towards managing the dispute resolution process, we cannot be seen to compromise the independence and the integrity of commission in that situation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. At the commission, we're ramping up our staff, and we will push forward on implementing our mandate and strengthening our support for indigenous peoples and the promotion of indigenous languages across the country, but I think that with the burden of the work there has to be a whole government approach, as well as a whole Canadian engagement in the reconciliation with indigenous peoples.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  First of all, I don't think it was merely the individuals who took that position in residential schools. It was supported by government to “take the Indian out of the child”, as has been stated. I for one am a residential school survivor and an escapee from a residential school.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  What work could you do to help us? Listening to the presentations to this committee, I have found them very important to informing us about what the people on the ground are thinking, and we will be looking to the government and its process and procedures going forward with respect to implementing the act.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I stated, we are building up and we will be looking forward at those issues with respect to how they impact the work of the commission. We'll be using those as guiding principles for how we conduct our work in the promotion of indigenous languages and the supporting of indigenous peoples going forward.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't quite understand your question. I will look into it and get back to you on that.