Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your presentations today.
I represent Burnaby—Douglas in British Columbia, and it's the heart of Coast Salish territory there. So I have many discussions and regular meetings with Tsleil-Waututh Chief Justin George, and also with Leah George-Wilson, who is the current co-chair of the B.C. summit. So my perspective on this is from the British Columbia perspective.
I'm also a member of another committee, which is natural resources, and although I'm just subbing here today for Carol Hughes, the discussions that we're having in that committee echo what we are hearing here—that the major barriers to investment in the north seem to be issues of clouded title and unresolved treaty or land claims obligations. We're finding on that committee—we've heard from many first nations, Inuit groups, and companies interested in investing—that until these things move along, we're going to have significant barriers to any kind of investment. So I really appreciate you coming here and giving us concrete ideas of how we can move ahead with that.
My direct interest is in settling B.C. treaties. I have talked to a number of first nations groups there that are extremely frustrated with the process, and it doesn't sound like it gets much better after agreements are signed. So I'm just wondering—and this is asking you to perhaps share some of your discussions you've had with other nations—whether your experiences with the slow implementation of land claims deals has perhaps put a chill on other first nations that are interested in resolving their treaties. Has the government's failure to honour commitments had major negative impacts on your communities, and is it also having ripple effects in other communities?
I just leave that open. Perhaps the grand chief can start, and maybe over to Mr. McKay.
Thank you.