Education needs to be reflective of the local economy and the opportunities that are available within it, which are not always present, and clearly connected to the training that is being done in the region. Emerging industries are very important, but first nations definitely have a hard time accessing or being a genuine partner with industry, because of the lack of capital that's available and the experience within those areas.
We suggest that something like a peer equity fund be established for use by first nations and regional development corporations that can access equity, to help them get a start in significant business opportunity areas—whatever areas they may be—that would not have as many strings attached as we've seen previously. This would level the playing field, because first nations, for decades, have been left out of many industries and haven't been able to develop or accumulate a significant amount of capital that they can diversify to a large extent.
I think this is what's been creating the sustained poverty and the continued increasing gap within the region. Transfer payments within social programs can only go so far. Many of our communities are stuck managing poverty, and we need to shift that focus toward creating opportunity and partnerships, and building those relationships with the private sector. That needs the support of Canada.
Canada needs to be able to create a willingness and openness to have first nations not only be involved in that area, but to be real contributors. The investment that happened here in Manitoba with the protein plant could have been done on a first nations reserve. Many of the—