Thank you, all of you, for coming. I want to join in welcoming you to our committee.
The topic is very moving and emotional. I can understand the importance of it, and not only from what you've told us today.
I was present in Nain, Labrador, in 2005, at the signing of the Inuit Land Claims Agreement, the formal signing, and the creation of Nunatsiavut. At the time, there was also an apology ceremony. Premier Williams apologized, on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, for the forceable move south of two Inuit communities to a place where they did not wish to be.
I can tell everybody here that it was an extremely moving apology, and it was very, very clear from the reaction of the people involved how important it was to them and what a striking reaction--an emotional, physical reaction--resulted from that.
So I understand that, and I support your request for an apology.
I also want to say, and I said this before when Mary Simon was here, that I find it quite distressing and disturbing, as a member of Parliament and as a Canadian, to see the apparent, total bad faith in which the land claims agreement is being implemented. I discussed it with one of the witnesses after one of the recent appearances. She described the government as treating the land claims agreement as a divorce where you take the money and go, when it really should be a marriage where you become partners on the basis of an agreement on how you go forward.
I think it's a good way of putting it. It seems to me to be great bad faith. That, obviously, is something I'm concerned about.
I know how important the role of the Inuit at Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord has been to the declaration of sovereignty, but I was interested, Mr. Amagoalik, in your comment that the second and third generations that are still up in the High Arctic wish to continue to play the role of guardians of the north.
Are you saying that they wish to stay where they are and are willing and want to continue to play the role of guardians of the north? Could you elaborate a little bit on that?
And if you want to comment on the other issue, about a marriage versus a divorce, please feel free to do so.