Finance committee  Our young people have that choice now. At the same time, it certainly would fall, I would say, under the objectives of this government to reinforce the governance in our communities as well. To me it also speaks to that objective for our first nations governments to reinforce the

Finance committee  I would say the reality is that if we were provided with more opportunities, that certainly would happen more in our communities. But the other reality is that we are also facing a situation where we have a lot of catching up to do.

Finance committee  It certainly doesn't happen overnight. To us, being given the opportunity to provide quality education as it exists anywhere else in the country would be very key.

Finance committee  Well, they also need to be prepared to take on jobs. To me, that's where education falls into place.

Finance committee  Well, I think that proof needs not to be made anymore. It's evident right across the country.

Finance committee  Yes. I think what is important here is to create some level of certainty in terms of what we should be planning for the next five years. I was part of the original program back in 1995. The negotiations we held at the time provided us with a program that went far beyond the three

Finance committee  Once again, you are raising the issue of infrastructure. That matter is intimately linked to what I was saying earlier, which is the issue of what is given to the provinces and what is made available to our communities. I was pointing to the fact that there has been a ceiling in

Finance committee  Indeed, those two arguments at least support the figures that we have put forward. Demographic growth among first nations is unequalled anywhere else in the country. So it is very important to also consider those realities. By the same token, we must also realize that if we do n

Finance committee  We sure would like to have an answer to that question. I think that beyond that, that can be a basis to try to better define the framework that has to be created for the First Nations, the governments we represent and the federal government. In my opinion, and with all due respe

Finance committee  On the face of it, we think that that is not enough. However, such an inquiry might shed light on the causes of that situation throughout the country, some if which have not been identified, allowing us then to perhaps better gauge the needs of the communities.

Finance committee  I think no one will dispute what Indspire has been able to achieve across the country. At the same time—and we totally agree with the argument that they defend as well—if you're caught in a situation where you have to negotiate year after year what you plan for the next 10 years,

Finance committee  What you're raising is exactly what we're hoping to achieve. We're seeking an arrangement, or a framework, if you will, with the government in terms of how to best expend the moneys that are needed. Obviously, we might have as many interpretations as we have people around this

Finance committee  Well, it all depends—

Finance committee  To us, it's obviously tied to our position with regard to Bill C-33, first nations control of first nations education. That's been really what I would call the dialogue of the deaf since the spring, in the sense that there has been no communication whatsoever except our expressin

Finance committee  The rough figure that comes to mind is that an aboriginal student costs maybe half as much as a non-aboriginal student. I think this also speaks to the issue of what happens in other programs as well. I could easily tell you that in Canada tomorrow morning we need 60,000 new unit