Of course, as we look at the land bases that are now set through the Indian Act, there are opportunities and business development and...primarily resource extraction that is happening just off our communities. As long as we're a part of it, I think there's an opportunity to really start looking at investing in some of the social issues that are plaguing our communities. The hard part is under the Indian Act. I think that's the primary barrier, getting around the Indian Act and what we're told to do and what we're told not to do.
Here in the province of Alberta, we have the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, which gives first nations an opportunity to participate in the natural resources sector and business deals that are happening within their territories. That's money that a community can now invest in these areas. Our land base might not grow, but at least we can start addressing some of these issues, where bureaucrats from Indigenous Services Canada are telling us how not to spend and how to spend money. This is at our discretion, and I think it is the first step in really trying to be proactive in these areas.
As long as we keep depending on the federal government under the Indian Act, we're not going to get anywhere. Identifying the land cases.... Really, it's up to the first nation to assert their own jurisdiction, create their own land laws and everything like that.
In the oil and gas sector, we have Indian Oil and Gas Canada, which is a horrible regulator. It causes more problems than it needs to. You can ask the Privy Council how many litigations there are against Indian Oil and Gas Canada for its failure to act.
When we assert our own jurisdiction, I think we can start taking care of ourselves and really be progressive in that way to take care of those social issues.