Summary Of Discussions - Métis Breakout Session

This report provides a sampling of the discussions. To understand the full extent of those discussions, it is important to read the complete transcribed flip chart notes accessible by web link.

Improved Access to Capital and Investment

Launch Question

What specific actions are needed to overcome barriers to access capital and investment?

Supplementary Question

What specific actions are needed to overcome barriers to access to capital and investment and enhance coordination of programming?

The participants identified approximately 45 recommended actions as well as additional comments/ideas on how to improve access to capital and investment. Examples included:

Recognizing assets they have ^{[ 2 ]}

• elementary school - building self esteem
• alleviating child poverty issues

Ability to get what they make to market

• business fundamentals
• microbusiness initiative (link to women)

First time request/failure

• mentors
• support system (Aboriginal/women)
• plan a presentation

Microlending has higher failure rate (Aboriginal-focused lending)

• increasing capital pools from competitive lenders (mainstream banking)
• international capital, focused on artisan

Technology/connectivity

• getting better technology linkages (computers)

Collateral requirements

• land settlements, reserve assets

Lack of overarching government goals and coordination of programs

• set measurable, time-oriented, specific goals, eliminate age conditions from loan application, provide longer time frames

Recognition of Métis as Aboriginal people

• public education
• inclusion of Métis by industry/government
• Métis participation in economic development

Access to business skills (e.g. community-driven)

• community business training programs
• Métis mentorship programs

Lack of equity for individuals/businesses

• Métis capital foundations, business access to federal economic development funding
• equity for wealth creation
• increase equity financing

Partnerships

• First Nations and Inuit
• government policies to promote collaboration
• industry

Communication of capital and investment opportunities

• Internet
• internally/community
• industry

Entrepreneurship

• K-12, youth
• small business opportunities

Developmental lending (high risk, difficult to sustain)

• develop an insurance program for developmental loans

Do political structures enable government and private-sector investment?

• due diligence on prospective clients

Access to education for working prospective entrepreneurs (e.g. 40+)

• programs that address older working entrepreneurs

Disproportionate balance of government funding between social and economic programs

• resource allocation for business development
• best practices and information sharing
• resource royalties (e.g. oil and gas)

Lack of equity/capital (for individual entrepreneurs)

• recapitalize Aboriginal financial institutions and Aboriginal capital corporations
• create Métis capital corporations
• devolve existing Aboriginal Business Canada and other federal funders
• funding organizations that work for Métis women
• Aboriginal bonds that are government-backed

Métis communities are not an attractive place to invest

• improve infrastructure in rural areas
• economic development office

Capacity of Métis governments

• build infrastructure of Métis governments
• invest in capital ventures

Equity, Métis governance not tied to a land base

• Métis-administered equity fund. equal involvement of Métis women, more capital (e.g. gaming or tax credits)

Commercial financing Crown corporations

• Business Development Canada, Western Economic Diversification, Farm Credit Corporation
• developmental lenders that are not involved in Aboriginal communities,
• women-specific programming
• upon devolution, we can learn from what worked, what didn’t work for Métis ensure processes are in place to make Métis programs work equally well for Métis women
• initiatives should be established for Métis women to increase their participation

Future economic security/stability is tied to the Métis nation’s self-sufficiency (the Laurier Institute report)

• human rights for all (e.g. women, disabled), international and national human rights obligations to improve the socio-economic situation of Métis people, particularly Métis women, people with disabilities, etc.

Role of provincial governments

• Métis gaming policies developed, create businesses, employment, community funds

Access to gambling revenues

• equal percentage with other Aboriginal groups

Improving Economic Opportunities from Lands and Resource Development

Launch Question

What are the best approaches (business models, partnership mechanisms, governance, structures, etc.) to foster improvements to economic opportunities related to the management and development of lands and resources?

In plenary format, the participants identified three categories of critical issues that need to be addressed and categorized these as follows:

Category A

• fiduciary responsibility of federal government to the Métis
• alignment of federal/provincial objectives in resources management
• responsibility of federal government to assist in land claims, and inflexibility of provincial governments
• what land and resources?
• access to specific and comprehensive land claims
• recognition of traditional use and occupancy
• compensation for past injustices and recognition of title
• ownership of sub-surface rights

Category B

• fiduciary responsibility of federal government to the Métis
• co-management of resources
• alignment of federal/provincial objectives in resources management
• conservation (hunting, harvester cards), responsibility and management
• willingness to create new types of tenure that deal with sustainable management of resources and that are actually appropriate
• how we want government to deal with the Métis nation on issues of land and resource management
• governance and political relationships between Métis, First Nations and Inuit organizations
• who will manage the money, land and usage (money from land claims, resources, etc.)

Category C

• public process to define sustainability
• implementation of duty to consult (section 35)

The following are a sampling of recommended actions (what) and implementation suggestions (how to) developed by the participants in response to these critical issues.

Lands and Resources

Overlap in interest, no lands recognized as exclusively Métis

• mechanism to deal with all interests
• defining political relationships in a broad framework

Cross-jurisdictional interest

• need to reconcile jurisdictions

Access to Specific and Comprehensive Land Claims

Lack of Métis access process

• let us in, provide access
• fund research necessary
• negotiation or litigation

Enhance/modify comprehensive land claims process

• appropriate for Métis community

Recognition of Traditional Use and Occupancy

Lack of recognition of Métis land use by government, industry and others

• recognize Métis government and citizens (Throne Speech, Métis Act)
• negotiation framework to resolve land and governance issues, nation-to-nation approach.

Ownership of Sub-surface Rights

No Métis agreements with sub-service rights

• model/example, Nisga’a agreement has coal but not coal gas, include base metals

No clear definition of equitable distribution/or access

• get one
• once there is access, build plan
• proactive skills development

Past Injustices and Compensation

The big SC “RIP” OFF of 92% of scrip lands, only 8% went to Métis (approx.)

• set clear time lines to resolve

Natural Resource Transfer Act

• reconcile jurisdiction including Métis, First Nations groups (co-management)

Aboriginal war veterans

• Métis/First Nations not given land or money
• compensation

Who Manages Money and Land Use

Willingness to create new types of tenure that deal with sustainable management of resources that are culturally appropriate

• ensure resources are not depleted
• local/provincial organizations to protect fauna, land and culture
• compensation of resources from land and usage of land
• defining the requirement for the process of consultation ensuring sustainability
• price of consultation paid by industry

How to ensure conservation of harvesting resources (moose)

• promote awareness of conservation

Improved Governance and Capacity

Launch Question

What specific elements (institutional, skills development, infrastructure) related to governance and capacity are necessary to best support economic opportunities?

Supplementary question

What specific policy and program modifications and additions will enhance Métis economic opportunities? What are the critical governance issues?

Critical issues

• programs
• Métis-specific or pan-Aboriginal
• include Métis in current programs (equitable treatment)
• delivery of management models
• representation and leadership of women
• accountability to the people and the funders

The following are a sampling of recommended actions (what) and implementation suggestions (how to) developed by the participants in response to these critical issues.

Métis-specific or pan-Aboriginal

• Consensus on the need for Métis-specific programming which should not jeopardize access to mainstream funding;
• Métis-specific programs designed for Métis women must be led and administered by Métis women

Program elements of program delivery models

• awareness campaign needed to promote economic development programs for persons with disabilities, women and youth
• arms-length decision making
• long-term funding commitments

Métis accountability (people and funders)

• Métis governments implement and enforce their own accountability mechanism
• apply gender-based analysis in all of the federal and provincial policy frameworks
• involve Métis women and Aboriginal women and youth and Elders in key discussions, decision making
• need a 20-year economic plan
• Métis youth entrepreneurship programs (Grade 4-Grade 5)

Federal accountability

• federal interlocutor for Métis, funding flows to Métis organizations

Improving Regulatory/Legislative Frameworks to Facilitate Economic Opportunities

Launch Question

What adjustments are needed to improve or streamline the regulatory or legislative environment to support timely investment/business decisions and improve the investment climate?

The participants developed recommended actions and ‘how to’ implementation ideas in the following three areas:

1. Searching for Speed, Simplicity and Decisiveness in Regulatory System

Regulations and legislation pertaining to economic development areas are not in line with timing of business-related activities (interest lost)

• streamline existing programs and processes
• industry, public and private sector are main driving force to cause change
• one-stop shopping (run around from agency to agency)
• identify the legislation and regulation that affect Métis procurement
• review policies and regulations to streamline, amend and develop in order to expedite
• align federal and provincial
• in the review, preserve and protect what is working
• Métis need the technicians and knowledge base for effective input
• meaningful consideration with Métis prior to development of legislation and regulation affecting Métis
• must be clear (precise terms) and understood by affected party

2. Reviewing Laws, Policies and Regulations Pertaining to Métis for Potential Amendments

Laws that limit Métis (e.g. timber, fishing and mining)

• federal, provincial, Métis tripartite review of specific laws that are now offside due to Powley; agree on changes

3. Federal Government should Acknowledge Who has Jurisdiction over Métis Section 91(24) 1867 Constitutional Act (Indian and lands reserved for Indians)

Role of law

• Who has jurisdiction, who is responsible for Métis?
• Aboriginal Affairs Cabinet Committee or GOC should work with Métis to consult with and implement policies that recognize federal jurisdiction in spending and responsibility for Métis
• Government of Canada to refer the question of jurisdiction over Métis to the Supreme Court of Canada

2. Note to reader: The bolded titles are recommended actions and the sub-bullets are suggested implementation methods/strategies to achieve that recommended action.

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The documentation contained on this website does not necessarily represent the views of any government or National Aboriginal Organization. The purpose of this website is to share information related to the Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable: background papers, Facilitator's sectoral and final reports, agendas and media announcements.

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