“As a country, if we want to be more independent vis-à-vis the United States, we must play our cards as it should be and that is a card that we do not play,” deplores Hugo Asselin, full professor at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), in an interview with The sun.
In collaboration with Mylon Ollila, doctoral student in indigenous economic policies, Mr. Asselin recently co -signed a publication entitled The Canadian economy faces major challenges, and indigenous peoples offer solutionsin which collaborators insist on the vast economic potential of the first peoples.
The indigenous population-younger and more growing-stands out as a lever for economic development, an “opportunity” that Canada would have every interest in seizing, they believe.
At the country level, the contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Aboriginal people remains, to date, well below their demographic weight. While they count for 5 % of the population, their contribution amounts to 2.4 % of GDP, or 55 billion dollars per year.
Researchers believe, however, that the Canadian government could recover some 60 billion dollars annually by focusing on indigenous entrepreneurs and investing to lift the barriers that afflict them.
“It’s major. This money could be used to enhance services in Aboriginal communities, but would also be used in complete Canada. ”
“We prevent them”
For Hugo Asselin and Mylon Ollila, the indigenous sub-statement in the creation of Canadian wealth is not for lack of an entrepreneurial spirit. Far from it.
“Indigenous peoples create nine times more companies than the Canadian average,” said the research carried out. The fact remains that indigenous entrepreneurs “have sticks in the wheels”, nuance Mr. Asselin
In addition to evolving in communities where access to water, electricity and the Internet is sometimes deficient, indigenous entrepreneurs are sometimes stuck in administrative maze.
“The natives, very often, have the right to borrow because they do not own their house, they cannot mortgage. There is a big problem of access to capital, ”explains Hugo Asselin.
“Throughout the credit available in Canada for entrepreneurs, natives will seek 0.2 %,” he continues. It’s ridiculous. They have crumbs. “
— Hugo Asselin, full professor at the UQAT
“It is not a question of being able or not to do business. We prevent them squarely. They do not have access to the start -up funds. “
Solutions from “Tomorrow”
Solutions could however be implemented as of “Tomorrow morning,” believes Hugo Asselin, but “political will” will be necessary.
“It is no longer enough to improve the status quo,” he says.
To do this, the Government of Canada should not only invest in the training of natives and promote the creation of autonomous income for communities, but also facilitate access to capital for entrepreneurs of the first peoples.
“If communities could generate other income, it would give them more freedom of action to support entrepreneurs in their community.”
— Hugo Asselin, full professor at the UQAT
Claimed by various Aboriginal groups, the creation of an Aboriginal development financial organization could notably make it possible to finance some of the indigenous projects which are not suitable for current institutions.
Although solutions are available in the short term to stimulate the economic contribution of indigenous peoples, it will eventually be necessary to attack the Indian law In herself, the researcher believes. “One day we will have to get there, but it’s very complex to play in there.”
“Rather than attacking the symptoms, you have to tackle the problem itself.”
