I wonder what steps you plan to take to remove these barriers. If you have a plan, I think the committee would be very interested in hearing it, especially if it takes into account the specific circumstances of each community.
There has been a significant increase in funding for first nations. It has risen from $13 billion to $24 billion annually, representing an increase of approximately 84%, yet a substantial amount of money remains unspent in the coffers. According to the Public Accounts of Canada, some $5 billion has not been spent.
It's all well and good to make grand announcements. In fact, I expect there will be some impressive ones tomorrow in the economic update. However, I would like to know, in concrete terms, what your plan is to support small communities so that they have the tools to grow and, of course, spend the funds allocated to them. Often, communities lack the resources to meet the standards required of them. Some communities are able to develop very quickly, while others are doomed to remain in poverty because we demand things they cannot accomplish due to a lack of resources.