Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.
Now, again this is just my opinion, but I think the problem is that the consent of first nations is seen as a sort of stamp or seal or approval. In other words, people think if aboriginal populations are with them, they can go ahead. This is very problematic. All too often, when resource extraction initiatives are presented to a community, they are already a done deal—that is, all the actors in place have already made a deal and the last people to hear about the ready-made package are aboriginal communities. This is also truly reprehensible because the relationship is a utilitarian one that does not benefit the entire population.
That is why there is no impact, no redistribution. This is not to mention the fact that the concept of building up capital, of pooling resources within communities, is not necessarily stressed. Furthermore, no training is provided to the communities that technically should benefit from these resource extraction initiatives, but do not necessarily have the workforce, knowledge and expertise required to maximize these own-source revenues.
Now, it is also important to understand that the Canadian government—with the fiduciary relationship that is its responsibility—has a duty to ensure that first nations communities are in the best possible position to get the most out of these initiatives. However, that willingness is just not there. Native poverty is a lucrative business. Outside experts make a fortune by keeping first nations at the same level of knowledge and at the same social and cultural level. This is not true for all communities, but it is for some, especially the more isolated communities. I am thinking of my own reality at the 52nd parallel. People are getting richer by keeping these communities at a certain level.