Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That is one of the key issues. Of course I mentioned an old, large sawmill that was next to the community. We're in dialogue with the municipalities, we're in dialogue with the Government of Quebec, we're in dialogue with many people, but no one wants to move. In the case of the sewer line coming into the community, it's been estimated that to replace it would cost at least $7 million—a huge amount.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  You are right; there don't appear to be enforcement tools that could be readily used by the community or by band council to address this issue. Our relationship, I suppose, like those of many other first nations with the local municipality, is frigid at best. We have an invisible wall between the municipality and us.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't know what we would do. Once this expertise, this capacity, is developed and someone disappears on us like that, I don't know what we would do, to be honest with you. We would still carry on, obviously, but things would slow down tremendously. Other people with a bit less capacity and background would have to take up the load.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think those environmental challenges will always be there, because some of the portions of land around our community are contaminated soils. We have one area where there used to be an old logging mill. They tore it down and all the oil leaked out from the transformers and what not.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We're not getting any funding with regard to dealing with environmental contaminations and what not. We can speak to people and we can maybe get a response. So we're left on our own.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There is no doubt that without the infrastructure there is a tremendous problem. In our community, where there's uranium in the water, where only 40% of our community can now drink the water, last year there was a substantial investment. We recognize that the Conservative government invested some $12 million in getting potable water to at least 40%.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It ensures, as I said earlier, that key pieces of land are set aside for business development because of their location. Again, the location was key in all of this. That's how the Home Hardware store in the community came to be, and how gas stations and a sports equipment store have gone up.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There are a couple of things, of course. There's a bit of resourcing. I know that if we had a bit more resourcing, we could do a lot more. I'll very quickly say that we're about to align ourselves with Carleton University's faculty of engineering to do some land work. We're going to have a partnership.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  He is indeed one of those individuals who has been following, on an ongoing basis over the years, all the training and all the meetings and he's able to exchange with colleagues across Canada. That is important because we're also learning from best practices occurring elsewhere and sharing our practices and our challenges.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There are several that will be appearing on the scene. I want to clarify one point raised early on about a statement I believe somebody made. My recommendation is not to give more money tothe Department of Indian Affairs; my recommendation is that they need to work more effectively and efficiently, not receive more money.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  To some extent there is, but it took me four years to convince the regional office to provide me with a timeline chart so that I knew where a file was when it was out of their hands and they were waiting for a response. The representative finally did produce one. It was helpful, but it took four years.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I agree; there is a capacity issue on both sides. As I say, we have existing and new arrangements occurring, and then we have old, historical arrangements with local municipalities—I'm sure many first nations have those—that still remain to be examined. The Department of Indian Affairs still has a tremendous responsibility regarding permits that were issued, which in some cases—certainly in our case—have a tremendous negative environmental impact, because sewer pipes are being dumped into the community.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Could you clarify the question?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We have really a number of approaches that we take. One of them, because our community is divided, with 50%, as I mentioned, held in common.... And those lands have lands management, environmental protection and selective cutting. It has also ensured that all of the waterways and lakes have borders where no cutting will ever take place.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It goes to Ottawa. It goes back and forth until it's finalized, and then it gets to the minister for a sign-off and then an order in council, for a final.... Certainly that's what we went through; it took four years for a very small piece of land.