Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Meadow Lake Tribal Council for its success in the forestry business, as reported this week by their auditors Price Waterhouse.
Federal loans worth $1.5 million, used by the tribal council to start two businesses, have paid off with a return of $10.7 million in corporate taxes.
The tribal council, led for many years by Chief Percy Derocher and today by Chief Richard Gladue, created jobs, contributed to their community and proved that there is an important and useful role for the federal government to play in support of aboriginal businesses.
The success of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council has paid off in other ways. Their contribution has helped lead to the naming of the town of Meadow Lake as Canada's forestry capital for 1995. We can all help them celebrate next year by ensuring that the federal government acknowledges this success with a continuation, indeed an enhancement, of the aboriginal business support program.