Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Bands are governed by rules, but the Indian Act is a major barrier. I think Mr. Davis and Ms. Madahbee Leach will agree with me on this. The Indian Act is a huge barrier to communities' economic development. I would also say that the natural resource development happening all ov

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's a good question. When I arrived, in 2014, economic development in the community of Wemotaci was at its lowest level, so we decided to do something about it. The bias against our community was hurting our ability to get projects off the ground. When we put forward our firs

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, we received funding through federal programming, in particular, for a major project. We were able to access funding for a sawmill that cost $3 million. It's important to understand something, though. The amount of federal funding allocated to major projects in indigenous co

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I don't think I'm familiar with that program. We are a small Atikamekw community, but I would like to get some information in order to find out more about it.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The federal government should provide programs tailored to the needs of each community, similar to what Quebec does with the Indigenous Initiatives Fund III, which earmarks funding specifically for Wemotaci. Is that something the federal government could do for every community i

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Tshinashkumitin, Mrs. Gill. For any economic development project, whether it involves building a gas station, homes or buildings, we are at a disadvantage from the get‑go—that's for sure. The costs of transportation and materials are exponentially higher. From the outset, undert

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I explained earlier, for us, in Wemotaci, participation in the First Nations Fiscal Management Act has meant that we are no longer subject to the Indian Act in relation to financial matters. Financial institutions don't always recognize that, however, whether it be credit unio

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'll first answer your second question. Tools already exist. The First Nations Financial Management Act enables us to override the Indian Act, but only financially. In Wemotaci, we decided to adhere to this legislation, which enables us to obtain capital, but only through the Fi

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  [Witness speaks in Innu] [French] Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, committee members and participants. First, I want to say that I'm speaking to you from the community of Wemotaci on the ancestral territory of Nitaskinan, whose name means “our land,” which is the territory of the A