A lawmaker in Canada apologized for questioning the $1.9 billion residential school settlement and for suggesting that former students were going to waste the money.

Pierre Poilievre is from the same party as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who delivered Canada's apology to former students on Wednesday. Poilievre made his comments just a few hours before Harper's historic speech.

"My view is that we need to engender the values of hard work and independence and self-reliance. That's the solution in the long run — more money will not solve it," Poilievre said on a radio show, CBC News reported.

Poilievre said he agreed with the government's apology.

Get the Story:
Conservative MP apologizes for 'hurtful' comments on aboriginal people (CBC 6/12)

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