[Witness speaks in Innu]
[French]
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, committee members and participants.
First, I want to say that I'm speaking to you from the community of Wemotaci on the ancestral territory of Nitaskinan, whose name means “our land,” which is the territory of the Atikamekw nation. I'm Innu from the community of Uashat mak Mani‑Utenam.
I'm delighted to be joining you today to discuss a topic close to my heart: indigenous economic development. I'm particularly interested in economic development. I quickly realized, during my career, that it's the main tool available to indigenous communities to ensure our emancipation and improve our living conditions and the psychosocial situation of our members. Unfortunately, while the concept of economic development may seem simple and applicable to all, clearly, for indigenous communities, there's still a long way to go. For the next while, I'll focus on the topic of this meeting, which is the barriers to indigenous economic development. That said, I want to start by showing that economic development is possible in the communities.
In 2014, when I arrived in Wemotaci, an Atikamekw community of 2,000 people, to take up the position of executive director of the Corporation développement économique Nikanik, the situation was bleak and we were in a deep hole. For example, there had been no gas in the community for over eight months. The residents had to get their gas in La Tuque, which was 5, 10 or 15 kilometres away. For the community as a whole—which had no development plan, strategy or goals—the annual project amount was about $250,000 and the development budget of $40,000 barely covered my salary. Limited partnerships were in trouble, unemployment was very high and there were fewer than 10 private businesses.
It took the election of a new council with a clear vision for economic development to start the wheels of progress and to launch new projects that mainly addressed the basic needs of the community. We first installed fibre optics to bring us out of isolation, refurbished the gas station to ensure gas supply, and built a business centre for our entrepreneurs. Most importantly, we developed and implemented a realistic recovery plan with clear and achievable goals.
As a result of this plan, I'm proud to say that we turned things around and helped improve the living conditions of a number of community members. Today, we're talking about $182 million in projects, a $300,000 economic development budget, an ever‑increasing number of stable jobs, 32 private entrepreneurs and a lower unemployment rate. The recovery plan has enabled us to dream big and prove to everyone that, despite lingering prejudices, we can carry out major projects.
Since today is mainly about the barriers encountered, I'll list a few things that, in my experience, hinder economic development in our communities.
The 10% capital investment needed for any new project in an indigenous context is a federal and provincial requirement that doesn't really take into account the financial capacity of communities and individuals. In terms of the search for funding from private institutions, with some exceptions, they're still wary of our organizations.
The administrative burden of the Quebec and Canadian governments is a real obstacle that compromises the fulfillment of many opportunities. Workforce training programs aren't adapted to the realities of potential workers. The remoteness of the communities leads to additional supply costs and inequalities among communities in terms of access to funding programs and allocated amounts. Natural resource development is inequitable.
My time is limited to five minutes, which is really too short.
I'd be happy to clarify each barrier during the round of questions.
I'll conclude by reminding you that we, the indigenous people, have a rich history of trade relations that goes back to well before the arrival of the first Europeans on our lands. We must reconnect with our past instincts and build what I'll call the “Indigenous People Inc.” of tomorrow. However, to do so, we must identify and overcome all the barriers that stand in our way. To this end, governments, financial institutions, civil society and all other entities involved must become facilitators and real partners. This is in everyone's interest.
Tshinashkumitin.