Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's a really good question. I know that I tend to ramble on, so I'm going to try to keep this short. Honestly, one thing I struggle with is the fact that not enough people acknowledge the fact that the education first nations peoples had prior to contact was amazing, and then, to have it ripped away from us through residential schools....

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Right now, our urgent needs are space and capital funding for a new school in our smallest community. We have over 40 students in a school building that is basically the size of a house with an addition, so we have 10 kindergarten children in a very small room, which is very challenging.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Okay. That's a really good question. It's one that I've been thinking about, especially after I received this invitation. Our first nation doesn't have an REA. I'm a little bit leery about it, honestly. I think there's some history with the government, maybe, that is in play.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Lucky me. I was probably the most nervous coming in here today. Prior to taking this position, I was a high school teacher, but the high school that I worked at was for northern students who left their remote communities and came to a site outside of Sioux Lookout. Attendance there was a lot different than it is inside a community where the students come from their parents.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  [Witness spoke in Ojibwa and provided the following text:] Boozhoo, Sylvia Davis niindizinakaz. Obishikokaang nindoonji. [English] My name is Sylvia Davis. I am a member of Lac Seul First Nation, and Lac Seul is my home. Madam Chair and honourable members of Parliament, thank you for inviting me to be here with you today.