Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[Witness speaks in Cree]
I'm very happy to be here. I acknowledge the creator for this beautiful day. I acknowledge the Algonquin peoples, the Anishinaabeg peoples for hosting us here, and all the men and women here.
My name is Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. I greet you all in a humble, respectful way.
Much of Canada's wealth comes from the resources of this land, wealth that has not been equitably shared despite the sacred promises of treaty and our inherent rights, title, and jurisdiction. Resource development alone is expected to pump $650 billion into Canada's economy over this decade. It's time to rebuild trust with first nations and foster partnerships with this country, including new fiscal transfer and revenue-sharing arrangements.
Each federal budget must signal Canada's commitment to a new relationship and to closing the socio-economic gap that exists between indigenous peoples and the rest of Canada. The significant investments made in budget 2016 for first nations people are important commitments. They represent the first instalment towards closing the gap after decades of underfunding and neglect over 20 years.
We all know there's much work to do, and closing that gap will not be done in one fiscal year. It won't be done in two fiscal years. You need 5-, 10-, and 15-year strategies in order to close this socio-economic gap that exists. You know the gap that I use, 6th versus 63rd, and if you don't know, I'll explain it. Canada is rated sixth according to the United Nations human development index. If you apply the index to indigenous peoples, we're at 63rd.
This gap represents everything we talk about: the overcrowded housing, the cap on education, the 1,200 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, high youth suicide rates, disproportionate number of our people in jails, 132 boil water advisories, all the lists. That has to be closed. Maintaining the status quo is not in the best interest of this country at all.
Having said that, investing in Canada's fastest-growing demographic, young first nations, indigenous men and women, the message and theme we continually put out is to start investing in human capital. You're going to reap huge returns on investment if that happens.
In fact, studies have shown that if investments were to have been made back in 2001, by 2026, $400 billion in positive growth in GDP would have been added to Canada's economy, and $115 billion of cost savings would have happened. That is, if investments would have been made back in 2001. That's from 2001 up until 2026. Studies have shown that. Investing the wealth that has come from our lands back into our first nations benefits everyone in Canada. The numbers in the submission should be seen as basements, not ceilings on investment.
There are regions, such as north of 60, those in the northern regions of the provinces, that require particular attention because of the unique challenges they face. Costs of doing business in the north are huge. They're different than in the south. You always have to keep that in mind.
There are priorities in this budget coming up, 2017-18. There has to be housing and water, no question. Post-secondary education has to be there. First nations policing has to be there. What Cindy spoke about, ending discrimination, has to be in there. With the child welfare issue, funding still falls short. There is still discrimination. That has to end.
New fiscal arrangements and budget decisions must reflect the needs-based approach to closing the gap. We're going to continue to review and revise numbers in light of our growing understanding of the needs, and we'll keep this committee and the finance minister informed as well. We call him [Witness speaks in Cree], the big money chief, so we have to talk to him.
At the AFN, we're going to continue to assist first nations in working together on common areas of concern to advance common priorities. We also expect that the important work under the MOU, the memorandum of understanding, working towards a new fiscal relationship with the crown that was signed this summer between myself and Minister Bennett is going to breathe life.
We're going to advance what the Prime Minister said: long-term, sustainable, predictable funding. We have a long road to go. We're going to close the gap and achieve rights, implementation, and reconciliation, and we trust great progress can be made in budget 2017.
Ekosi.