Mr. Chairman, my comment is not short. One of the obvious things in this year's budget is the limit to which our dollars can go. In all cases around the world where there are limited amount of dollars, the money is directed to improve or create more employment, to create opportunities for business and also to attract, through promotions, people to spend money in the north. Even in the communities where this possibility exists, there is still some difficulty with people getting money to start a business. One of the things which the Deh Cho region and in particular, the Hay River Reserve, would like to do is to get into the banking business, not commercial banking, but the trust company business. In this way they would try to create more opportunity for aboriginal businesses to come into place. At present, most commercial banks do not take chances on businesses for aboriginal people. If they are risky then they will not touch them.
This government invests millions of dollars in to those banks and do not get any kind of return other than what the ordinary customer gets. This government could do much more to try to get a return for the dollars which are spent in the banks.
Mr. Chairman, in most communities if you do not have collateral, you cannot get a loan. The reserve has been working with Peace Trust to try to come up with some kind of a new bank initiative for the aboriginal people. They have land claims money, core funding and regional funding. There are all kinds of monies which are being targeted toward aboriginal people. Even though the banks have benefitted from it, they are not providing any kind of incentive for aboriginal people. The banks have also met with aboriginal people. As recently as two weeks ago, there were all kind of articles in the newspapers on how the banks could offer their services to the communities. Not improved services, just services. This does not tell you much with regard to what they are willing to offer. This is one area which I am concerned about, Mr. Chairman. Most of the money that comes up north ends up in Las Vegas, London or Japan. It does not stay in the north. I think it is time we look at keeping our dollars in the north. This is one way of doing it. If the banking services do not change their attitudes toward the communities, toward the aboriginal people and this government, then we should look at our alternatives for banking in the north.
One of the big things the Minister has made with regard to opportunities up here is in the mining industry, gold, diamonds or staking claims. We could turn the clock back five hundred years and people would still be coming up here and putting a stake in the ground and counting it as their own. I think we should begin looking to create opportunities in the area of exploration. We should also be looking at joint ventures. In my constituency we have been trying to enter into a joint venture with the Inuvialuit development corporation. It has not yet materialized. I do not know what has happened to this since it was discussed. However, those are areas in which I think we should try to create more opportunities.
Mr. Pollard is aware of the fishing industry in the north and some of the problems which both the fresh water fish marketing industry and the Great Slave fisheries are having in trying to create new markets. Something which is happening with regard to the fishermen on the Great Slave Lake is that many of the fish which are not required for market are dumped back into the lake. The wasted fish should be utilized for cat or dog food. I do not think we should be dumping them back into the lake. We should try somehow to create more opportunities for people to make use of the wasted fish.
Mr. Chairman, about a month ago I heard through the media about the high demand for bison meat or buffalo meat. The only people who are harvesting or have the opportunity to harvest are people through the Peace River bison ranching association. Those people have tapped into a market for which there is a demand. However, other than those people having this opportunity, they are not expanding. There is a shortfall of demand for bison meat. In Fort Providence the herd has expanded to the point where we should allow the community to start harvesting some of the bison. It can be done through commercial license. They should be given the first opportunity to start opening this up to big game hunters. The possibility exists, however, I do not know whether or not this government has explored this possibility.
One of the things I also wanted to mention is with regard to a search of revenue. With regard to a case down south on the reserves, Mr. Chairman, in order for reserves to collect revenue, they have established casinos and gambling centres as a source of revenue. I do not know if this government has looked at that opportunity. Fort Providence is an ideal place for such a facility to be put, since it is in the middle of all the major centres, including Yellowknife, Fort Rae, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith and Hay River. I do not know if it is possible, but it is something that this government should look at to create some revenue. I understand the church has gotten out of the bingo business. Wherever possible, we should try to create revenue. I hope that would be one area in which the government would also explore to create revenue.
I have one final comment. I am still not sure if we have an economic development officer in Fort Providence. The last time I was there, I do not think there was one. I know there was talk about putting a position there and they would look at designating the money required for them to put a position in Fort Providence. I do not know if we have one, but perhaps the Minister might be able to enlighten me on that.
Basically, as far as the economics in the north and in my own constituency go, I have touched on every possible avenue that could be looked at. Also, under the business incentive policy of this government, I would hope that the government would look at this. The requirement is for many non-aboriginal entrepreneurs. We may require that, but I would hope that permanent aboriginal residents are not required to register so they could have that added advantage for opportunities. By virtue of them being aboriginal people should be enough for this government to look at that possibility. There are all kinds of things that this government is doing that is good and which is creating opportunities, but I would hope that, because aboriginal people have been here longer and do not intend to make their millions and then move back south, that they would look at that as an incentive too. That is all I have to say, Mr. Chairman. I ask only that the Minister respond to whether or not we do have an economic development officer in Fort Providence.