Thank you.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the committee. I think this is an important study, and I'm pleased the committee is undertaking its work.
I'll start by asking a fundamental and foundational question: Does Canada accept that the Indian Act bands are governments within the federation of Canada?
If you do, then as governments, first nations are entitled to the same revenue-raising tools and powers that other orders of government have available to them as they provide services to their communities. This is a central element of self-government and a principle of UNDRIP.
First nations have already demonstrated that we can generate better and greater outcomes in delivering programs and services to our communities when we exercise fiscal powers to raise revenues, rather than being funded through federal grants. The pay-as-you-go system that we are dependent on today is so far removed from what any other level of government would accept. The status quo is holding indigenous people back from closing socio-economic gaps, reducing the cost of poverty and building economic success.
The Harvard project, in 2003, indicated that it wasn't so much where you were located or your education. It was your ability to exercise your right to self-government, within the capacity to govern yourselves through strong institutions, that supported economic activity and better communities. That's what the fiscal management act institutions provide.
All three of us have provided that service, and it provides the ability to provide the oversight and the confidence that has been built in the exercise of fiscal powers by first nations. We have the data that can demonstrate how those within the FMA have greater own-source revenues, healthier operating margins, better quality housing and better and higher levels of formal education. It's important to understand that first nations institutions have created this.
This was all created because the politicians in Ottawa in 2005 knew there was a better approach to doing things. Last year in June, when we received royal assent on the amendment to the legislation, in 78 days, you again demonstrated that you had a line of sight to the success that we were building with first nations. As Manny and others are now arguing, Canada must come to understand that seeing us as governments means ceding tax room to first nations. This means first nations will secure revenues directly rather than the current indirect method of grants, programs and pilot projects controlled by Ottawa.
It should be noted that first nations have used the FMA to demonstrate that we can make tax room more valuable when it is placed in our hands—a lot more valuable. Further, we have demonstrated that we can go much further on a dollar that we invest directly rather than when subject to grants and contributions. We get better economic returns, improved infrastructure, improved safety and harm reduction, and improved environmental risk management.
The investment improves the lives of our people and facilitates economic development for first nations and the whole of Canada. Our communities need these tools and powers to make the goals of our first nations a reality and to bring hope to our people, particularly our young people. This is true reconciliation.
Thank you.