Particularly in the area that I'm working in, Canada enjoys fully resolved Inuit land claims, which provide an important set of guidelines to proponents of projects about what the rules are.
Going beyond that, the investments required for large resource developments are significant at the front end. It is a long game. It's important to have the ability to operate your business in the long term, and therefore a significant part of that is predicated on having good relationships.
So we have two things. One is the rule book, as it were, and two, any wise business will realize the need for having successful relationships. That leads us to that alignment of interests such that our success, as industry, is understood to be success on the local front. Local success, communities that are stronger and have well-educated employees who are able to work safely and responsibly, will provide the basis for a long-term successful business.
Given that we're just starting the Baffinland project, I'll talk a little bit about the Voisey's Bay project, or just my experience with it. We engaged in negotiations of impact and benefit agreements. We saw land claims come in and be finalized with the Innu and the Inuit of Labrador. We had codified our commitments around how we would ensure that benefits flowed, as well as involve both aboriginal parties in the environmental effects monitoring and collaboration on education, issues on cultural challenges, and all of these other things.
When I left that particular operation, a little better than half the workforce was aboriginal, and people were progressing to more senior positions within the company. I think it was felt by all parties that it had been a success.
Given that there was a revenue stream supporting activities not relating to mining, which both aboriginal groups could dispose of as they wished, there were educational opportunities and there were employment opportunities. It was kind of a success, I think, on those fronts.
I think with the benefit of the structures that Canada has put in place, those kinds of results are achievable. It's not the case in all states. Canada is an extremely good place to make your investment, because the rules are clearly understood and well known.