Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Although it may be surprising, I share many of the same concerns that my colleague across the way brought up. I also share his cynicism. There's just something bizarre about having to wrestle basic information about yourself that's held in companies who seem to want to render that somewhat inaccessible or difficult to get to. I know that there have been improvements.
At any rate, that won't be my line of questioning. I'd rather talk about the aboriginal situation.
I have two first nations in my riding. I'll be very quick, but maybe I'll illustrate my point with a story I was told by an Algonquin friend on Kitigan Zibi. He decided to buy a boat for his mother, because his mother went out every season to go fishing in a particular place that was quite far. He made a pretty good salary, and one day he came back and bought a boat. He presented it to his mother by surprise. She just kind of looked at him, clueless, so he said to her that this way she could get to her fishing hole quicker. She said, “Well, why would I want to be fast?”
I think the story illustrates that there is a certain headspace that we're all in around this committee, including yourselves, and we're dealing with a fundamentally different way of viewing the world. To integrate these individuals into a system that they may not, in fact, want to participate in.... I don't think we can simply say it's an issue of education. I think it's an issue of choice as well. I think there are individuals who very well know what this system represents and what it means. Communities and individuals are consciously deciding not to participate in it.
One of the reasons would be, well, what will be done with that data? Some of you are in the business of selling that data. Selling data on first nations people is a historical problem, because their data, whether it be cultural, linguistic, artistic, or otherwise, has basically been stolen and made into consumer goods in order to make profit for non-aboriginal companies.
I understand, though, the assumption on the basis that this is good, that this is something that needs to be done. That's why I applaud Mr. Rowe's references to the importance of deep consultation and deep conversations with aboriginal people about this and how that tool can actually be used by the communities by themselves, if they desire to, in order to develop their communities or what have you.
Having said that, Mr. Rowe, it's clear that you've done consultations. I'd like to know what themes come up, what concerns come up, from aboriginal communities about integrating themselves in the entire credit system.