Aboriginals need businesses

Business key to aboriginal success:  reportAboriginal communities must establish successful economies if they ever hope to conquer poverty and social problems, according to new report by a Senate committee—but they'll need a lot of help to make that happen.

In dozens of communities, the committee found "involvement in economic development activities has done more to change the lives of aboriginal people in the last decade than any number of government programs," the report said.But that's easier said than done:Nick Sibbeston, the committee's deputy chair, said the committee acknowledged that building strong economies on First Nations can be difficult, especially on remote reserves,"where there's apathy, where people are simply not organized and in a position to do business."

"Business requires a higher level of commitment and organization. I would have to say that in some of the bigger centres, they are more apt to have had this training and business culture."