It is with great pride that I co-sponsor the National Aboriginal Women's Summit in Corner Brook, June 20-22, 2007. This event brings together over 150 Aboriginal women from across the country to explore solutions to a range of socio-economic issues facing First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and families. I look forward to receiving the recommendations developed out of these discussions.

I wish to acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador who have succeeded in mobilizing a significant number of public and private partners in Corner Brook for this Summit.

Based on the theme Strong Women: Strong Communities, this summit will encourage participants to develop strategies which will lead to concrete actions to ensure that Aboriginal women, children and families have access to the same quality of life as all other Canadians.

I am confident that the outcome of deliberations will provide recommendations that will enable real change in Aboriginal communities. Coming out of this work, we will be better positioned to equip Aboriginal women with the tools and the organizational structures they need to take charge of their own future and to support future generations to do the same. This is why Canada's New Government fully supports the objectives of this summit.

I wish that all participants have frank and fruitful discussions, leading to a successful summit.