Natural Resources committee  They operate the same as chartered banks.

Natural Resources committee  In my own region near Sudbury, we have the Wahnapitae First Nation. It owns its own environmental company, which does all the environmental testing of the waterways and the lakes around the Sudbury region through contracts with the many mining companies in the area. This is a company that's owned by the community.

Natural Resources committee  I have to tell you that through the OECD studies, it was found that Canada has a pretty good system of aboriginal-owned financial institutions. We have a network of about 58 aboriginal financial institutions across Canada that service the whole country. We also have two indigenous-owned banks in Canada.

Natural Resources committee  I was just going to mention how the Baniyala people in the East Arnhem region won title to land and sea. They're using the title to sea, and working on a plan for commercial fisheries and aquaculture. I think that's how they're implementing it, and also making sure that it's done in a sustainable way.

Natural Resources committee  Not yet, but I'm hoping that's the plan. I don't know if there's still a committee working on looking at what legislation would need to change to respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I hope that work is ongoing. Of course, I think this bill needs to pass first, and then everything else will flow from there.

Natural Resources committee  I think that there are a lot of barriers. One of the barriers is having indigenous people develop the capacity to be able to make informed decisions in that development, because, as you know, there have been different initiatives and efforts. Some were top-down, but now I'm really proud of this new committee approach that has also looked at social issues in the Ring of Fire.

Natural Resources committee  I'm not too sure exactly when Supply Nation started. I don't think their procurement policy is as old as Canada's indigenous procurement policy. I think it's much newer. I believe that organization has been around for I would guess around eight or 10 years, something like that.

Natural Resources committee  First of all, with regard to the barriers, it's pretty clear that indigenous people in Canada are the most marginalized. Some of the barriers are around things like access to capital. With the lower incomes, we struggle with getting together equity to start a business. The education levels are also barriers.

Natural Resources committee  With the Australian procurement policy, they have higher levels of set-asides. I think the fact that they have a source for accessing business information through that entity called Supply Nation really helps with the procurement policy there. I have had a look. I brought copies of it to my counterparts here in Canada looking at procurement.

Natural Resources committee  That's my husband.

Natural Resources committee  Good afternoon, and thank you for the invitation to speak with you today. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe peoples. I speak to you today as the vice-chair of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board.

Human Resources committee  I know it's always difficult to have a program that has a limited mandate, but when you look at the types of services that this programming is involved in, for things like, for example, the Ring of Fire, that have a five-year program renewal, the construction and all of the preparatory work and the training haven't even begun yet.

Human Resources committee  I think in every renewal it takes some time to review it and to make sure that outcomes are being met in evaluating a program. Maybe an ongoing evaluation throughout the life of a program would tell you what results are being achieved and could help, so that you're not waiting at the last minute before approval or renewing a program.

Human Resources committee  Yes, I'm coming right to the end here. They could implement their strategic plans and clients currently enrolled in skills training would be assured of completing their training and of obtaining their certification. The national board believes that economic development is the foundation upon which a fair and sustainable partnership between Canada and aboriginal people can be built.

Human Resources committee  Thank you very much. Aanii. Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to present before the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. My name is Dawn Madahbee, and I'm the vice-chair of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board.