We'll call this morning's meeting to order.
We want to thank both of our organizations for being with us today. We're here for our 41st meeting of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, under our study on access to capital.
We have with us this morning, the Business Development Bank of Canada, Mr. Robert Lajoie, the vice-president, financing and consulting for Manitoba, and national director for aboriginal banking; and Mr. John Connell, vice-president of government relations. We also have the First Nations Lands Advisory Board, Chief Austin Bear, who is a director and with the Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan; and William McCue, director, and a councillor from Georgina Island in Ontario.
We've had a little pre-consultation, and, Chief Bear, I believe you're going to do the first presentation on behalf of the First Nations Land Advisory Board. You have 10 minutes for your opening remarks. Then we'll have opening remarks from the Business Development Bank, and then we will turn it to members for questions.
Chief Bear, the floor is yours for the next 10 minutes.