It is important.
We seem to be doing not too badly in the urban environments. Our people are finding jobs. Whatever kind of job they can get their hands on, they're getting them. Our people have very entrepreneurial backgrounds.
However, we're seeing that our traditional economy has been completely quashed. We used to be big in the forest industry, in commercial fishing, in trapping and in tourism. All of that is gone. The last edge of the fishing is still surviving right now. If you see on the east coast how important the fishing is to their existence, the same happens to us.
In rural Manitoba, where I used to have maybe 30% unemployed in our villages, it's the opposite. I have 70% unemployed. It's causing me grave concern as president. In the future, what does that mean? What's going to happen?
These people become caught up in the social welfare system. They may never leave and they may just give up.
They can't give up. The young people cannot give up on hope. In order to do that, you have to give them something in return.
All of this was taken from us and nothing has ever come back to replace it. Nothing. No government has had a Métis-specific economic plan in this country.
From our perspective, we're saying that we have the answers. We just need you to look at the investment. We're going to pay taxes back anyway. You're going to get back your money from us. We're going to help you with the challenges you face of filling the gaps in these businesses that exist that need people to fill them.
We don't have to shop overseas. You can come shop in my communities, but give me the tools to get them ready.