Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The overall weight of the aboriginal population is around 3%, so it won't--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We're data geeks. We use data; we don't collect it. For that we depend largely on Statistics Canada, because in a nutshell, the census is the name of the game when it comes to aboriginal data. There's also the aboriginal peoples survey. I know there are efforts right now, in terms of finding the right support for that exercise.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I said, the CWB has paid for all municipalities. Then the issue is coming up with a list of Métis communities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That explains why I chose the slide. In fact, we thought it would be a good idea to have two maps: one for first nations and the other for Inuit communities. You will find the same type of information on this map concerning the 51 Inuit communities for 2001.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I will conclude my presentation with the last slide. Before I start explaining this chart, in any exercise, when you look at the past, you look at old reports like Hawthorn, and RCAP. When they tried to assess differences between first nations and other Canadians, Métis and other Canadians, or Inuit and other Canadians, they would base it on education.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The issue of Métis communities still has to be--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Based on standard distribution of the communities--the red bars that we showed earlier--the moderate are those close to the average first nations score. Those considered high are those that have higher scores relative to that average. Those that we categorized as low here are those that are really below the average first nations score.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  You mean if we've looked at it actually from an economic perspective, what would be the explanation for higher CWB scores?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The first step of the research agenda--because it's our research agenda--is to actually measure. It took us two years. We had direct access to the microlevel data from the census--special access--but it took us two years. The second phase is to look at the reasons, the determinants, the correlates--why?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. When you refer to a Métis community, you probably refer to a fairly substantial density of Métis population. Here we didn't study population; we studied communities. There are Indian reserves, Indian settlements, villages Cris.... Those are geographies recognized as such, and we've looked at the well-being of those areas.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It is to the advantage of women.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Much longer.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Both. Women are more educated, but this does not translate into higher incomes. Nevertheless, I think that's another issue. I mentioned earlier that looking at the national picture hides huge disparities. This is the HDI for the registered Indian in 2001 only--for the on-reserve population, the off-reserve population, but also the other Canadians, the other residents in these provinces or territories.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We cannot have data from the census about where they get their education. The issue of tracking students is one the department is looking into in terms of better data, because we have the provincial system, which is off reserve, and then on reserve. So there are efforts being made there in terms of bringing the information together so we will have a better sense of the students' progress.