Trust. Integrity. Reputation.
Delegates offered tools for success
Kitsaki Development Corp. Economic Developer of the year
Chief an economic visionary for the community
Kitsaki is built to last ... and prosper
Corporation fills needs of northern BC
Corporation leads way to self-sufficiency
Nisga'a first woman president of CANDO
1996 CANDO AWARDS
Delegates offered tools for success
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
MONTREALThe Delta Hotel in downtown Montreal was the scene of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers Fourth Annual National Economic Development Conference. Running from Sept. 24 to 27, the conference attracted more than 300 delegates from across Canada.
The theme of this year's conference was "Building Capacity for Economic Development, Building Hope for the Future" and was hosted by Grand Chief Joe Norton of the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory. The conference had more than 20 workshops on various aspects of Aboriginal economic development, with 50 speakers and presenters, and was capped off with a bus tour of the Kahnawake Mohawk territory which is just south of Montreal. This was the first year the conference had been fully sold out.
"This is a very special occasion for me and my community," said Norton, as he welcomed the delegates on the morning of Sept. 25.
Norton described a dilemma that Aboriginal communities face because of years of contact with Europeans.
"We're caught in two ways of looking at things," he said. "We're encouraging our young people to get an education - to help us with our [economic] development. It's part of the changing we have to go through. It's not something we should be afraid of."
But Norton also admitted that there must be a balance so that traditional Aboriginal values and culture are not lost in the modern world. Those traditions, he said, will give Aboriginal people the anchor they need to be successful and create a better economy for themselves and Canada.
"We are realizing that we have an important role in the Canadian economy," continued Norton. "If nothing else, Native people are a valuable resource to Canada."
Throughout the conference there were other keynote speakers, such as Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come of the James Bay Cree, and Chief Billy Diamond of Waskaganish.
Coon Come, who gave the lunch time keynote address on Sept. 25, warned the delegates to keep a watchful eye on the federal and provincial politicians trying to hammer out a new constitutional deal without any participation of Aboriginal people.
"It would be unfair and wrong for the premiers too cook up a new constitutional framework that did not include Aboriginal people," he said.
He also said that the issues of land rights and resource control must be ironed out before any real and lasting economic development can be realized.
"As I speak, most of my people are out on the land. Our main economic base is still the land," he said. "Our people still hunt. They still support themselves."
The newly-elected Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine, Jane Stewart, minister of Indian Affairs, and last year's Economic Developer of the Year winner Chief Manny Jules were all unable to attend and give their keynote speeches. The absence of Fontaine and Stewart was due to a hastily called meeting with chiefs in British Columbia.
John Kim Bell, Mohawk composer and founder of the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, gave the keynote address at the president's dinner on the evening of Sept. 26, when the economic developer of the year and recognition awards were presented.
Bell was asked to speak about the recently released Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report. His talk emphasized the need for Aboriginal people to keep up with the radical changes that were occurring in the world.
"The world is evolving from an industrial-based society to a technology-based society," he said. "New technologies are creating new world markets, eroding old barriers and natural borders."
He then outlined 10 key recommendations of the commission that pertained to change.
"Never doubt the power of a dream," said Bell as he ended his speech.
All of the awards were created by Mohawk sculptor, Steve McComber.
Kitsaki Development Corp. Economic Developer of the Year
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
MONTREALIt was the moment the 300 delegates to CANDO's annual conference had been waiting for: to see who would be named economic developer of the year.
The honor would go to one of the four recipients of the CANDO recognition awards. They included Chief John Louis Stevenson of the Peguis First Nation located in Manitoba; the Paskwayak Business Development Corporation, also from Manitoba; the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Economic Development Corporation from British Columbia; and the Kitsaki Development Corporation from Saskatchewan.
On the evening of Sept. 26 the delegates cast their ballots, and with that the Kitsaki Development Corporation was voted 1997 CANDO Economic Developer of the Year Award winner.
Harry Cook, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and president of Kitsaki Development Corporation, accepted the award from Angie Stewart, the president of the council.
"It's a privilege and an honor," said Cook about receiving the award, but quickly added that this type of news needed to be broadcast through the media to prove that "Indians are doing a lot of positive things."
Cook learned a month before the conference that the Kitsaki Development Corporation would be receiving a recognition award. But it was only in Montreal during the conference did he realize the prestigious company he was sharing in receiving that award.
During his acceptance speech, Cook emphasized that Kitsaki Development Corporation was willing to do business with any level of government, and any other business organization, whether Aboriginally run or not.
In a later interview, Cook spoke about the value of CANDO's national conference and how he found it informative.
"I think its unique and very informative for Native people to get together from time to time to share information so maybe some doors could be opened," he said. "It was a good way to find out what's going on in different parts of our country."
He identified several business opportunities available to his people, such as tourism and forestry, and how the other delegates at the conference were a good source of information.
Kelly Lendsay, a member of CANDO's board of directors, as well as director of Aboriginal Business Programs at the University of Saskatchewan, nominated Kitsaki for the recognition award. He felt it deserved the award because of its perseverance and vision.
"When you look at the way Aboriginal economic development is emerging, Kitsaki is the story of perseverance," he said. "We're looking at a 20-year story here. We're looking at vision.
"There's is a story of how politics and business work together," he continued. This award "is really a credit to their chiefs and councils, as well as their managers.
"They do all the things that we need to do to make economic development successful. I felt they deserve the [recognition] award for the maturity they've show in the industry. It's an award that is long overdue for an Aboriginal economic development corporation that's been doing well for over 20 years.
"These people work hard and they care and you just want to tell everyone else about it," Lendsay added.
Chief an economic visionary for the community
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
PEGUIS, ManLouis John Stevenson, chief of the Peguis First Nation since 1981, was the only individual winner of a recognition award from CANDO this year. There were many reasons why.
Since he's become chief, employment on the Peguis First Nation has risen 30 per cent and the number of businesses has increased from five to more than 50.
On top of his many accomplishments, Stevenson received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Development in 1995. He was also nominated for the National Royal Bank Award in 1996, an honor that is given to Canadians who have made important contributions to human welfare and the common good.
The Peguis First Nation consists of three reserves that are spread out north of Winnipeg. The largest one is located 170 km north of Winnipeg. The original reserve, formally known as St. Peter's, is located near Selkirk, on the coast of Lake Winnipeg. The third reserve is located 26 km northeast of the largest reserve, on the shores of Fisher Bay.
As chief of the Peguis First Nation, Stevenson oversees the operation of the Peguis Development Corporation, which was established in 1984.
The goals of the Peguis Development Corporation are: to establish and operate an economic development program which will encourage, stimulate, promote and assist a wide range of business development initiatives; to incorporate and facilitate the founding principles into the planning processes and activities of the economic development program; to provide assistance, resources and financial support to band members, the council and related corporations through contributions to business and human
resource development projects; to co-ordinate and elicit support from government programs and services, and professional-private industry organizations for community economic development; and, to assist with identified areas of employment and training services such as mobility to employment, employment assistance, apprenticeship programs, training on the job, small business starts and Pathways projects as identified by community need.
In 1989, the 2,700 sq. m Peguis Mall was completed. It is now home to Irene's Flower and Gift Shop, Peguis Sports Zone, Sarah's Salon, Peguis Post Office, H & R Block, Peguis Shop Easy, Royal Bank of Canada, Peguis Laundromat and Lottery Centre, Annette's Family Diner, and the RCMP community office. The mall also provides office space for the Peguis school board, health centre, and band administration. Expansion plans that will more than double its existing space.
Kitsaki is built to last ...and prosperBy Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
LAC LA RONGE, Sask.The Kitsaki Development Corporation grew out of the dream of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band to take control of its own economic future. In 1981, that dream started to become a reality when Kitsaki was incorporated. There were some early disappointments and mistakes, but perserverance prevailed.
Since 1981, the Kitsaki Development Corporation has grown so that it owns or partly owns such diverse operations as Northern Resources Trucking, the Lac La Ronge Motor Hotel, Kitsaki Meats Inc., Keethanow Bingo North, La Ronge Industries Limited, First Nations Insurance Services Inc., Northern Lights Wild Rice Inc., Athabasca Catering Company, Woodland Cree Resources, Keewatin Mining Corporation, Canada North Environmental Services Limited, and First Call Inc., plus a joint venture with Minolta to supply photocopiers and servicing to First Nations and institutions in northern Saskatchewan.
Harry Cook, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, said Kitsaki Development Corporation is also looking at mining opportunities in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, as well as other business opportunities involving manufacturing and forestry. More than 400 people are now employed directly or indirectly by the corporation.
"I think the need was to take advantage of our region in terms of the business opportunities that were arising in mining, forestry, tourism, and transportation," said Cook, explaining why the corporation was created by the band. "The council of our band saw that there were numerous business opportunities in Saskatchewan."
But Kitsaki's success didn't happen overnight. Kelly Lendsay, a member of CANDO's board of directors, as well as director of Aboriginal Business Programs at the University of Saskatchewan stated, a lot of work and determination was necessary to get Kitsaki to this point in its development. Cook feels that the success was determined by building on a solid foundation.
"No one person can do it for themselves. It's very important to have that proper mix of experience, desire and education," said Cook. "That has to be kept in focus at all times. It's very important that politicians should be supporting their particular arms of economic development and not be the directors."
"One of the things that came out was that Kitsaki's approach is that they try to implement a structure that allows for the business decisions and strategies to evolve along with the political developments. There's always overlap, but they've been able to come up with a process to balance this," said Lendsay.
Sharing their management experience and training future employees are also important to Kitsaki Development. Part of their profits go back into training so that band members can be employed in companies run by the corporation or by others operating in the region. This training has allowed band members to stay in the region instead of having to leave to seek employment, as well as getting educated members to return to the area.
The general manager, David McIlmoyl, also gives seminars at the University of Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Master of Business Administration program.
Lendsay is keen to point out that Aboriginal businesses in Canada have always been willing to work with anybody and that Kitsaki Development is a perfect example of how this works well.
Corporation fills needs of northern BC
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
HAZELTON, B.C.The Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Economic Development Corporation was the smallest organization to receive a CANDO economic development recognition award at the national conference. It was precisely this reason that Angie Stewart, president of CANDO, nominated them for the award.
"The Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Economic Development Corporation is a company that is, at the grassroots level, practicing all aspects of community economic development," said Stewart. "Mainly they're addressing unemployment and their programs reflect their concerns of social well-being.
"Their decision-making is strongly reflective of the way they culturally make decisions and their programs are all the result of careful planning of each of the needs of each of the nine communities," she added.
This development corporation, which was just incorporated in 1991, serves six Gitksan and three Wet'suwet'en communities in northern British Columbia. The combined nine communities have about 8,000 members in an area of about 57,000 sq. km.
Darlene Morgan is the current director of the corporation. A board of directors is made up of nine members, all of whom hold the economic development portfolios within their own band councils. Anne Howard and Darlene Morrison are the other two employees of the corporation.
"On behalf of the nations of the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en, we appreciate the award that CANDO has given us," said Howard, in a later interview. "It gives you a very good feeling inside to see what progress our people have made compared to the barriers they have had to endure."
She then said that a national conference like CANDO's inspires her because she's able to network with other Aboriginal economic development officers and that receiving an award drives her to accomplish better things for her community.
The Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Economic Development Corporation's mission statement declares: All the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en people have the opportunity to achieve economic independence and self-reliance by means of life-long education and skills training, and by capitalizing on economic development opportunities that preserve and enhance the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en economy.
The mandate of the corporation is to encourage increased participation by Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en communities and individuals in the development of a sustainable economy; to assist in the initiation, expansion, improvement and promotion of viable business opportunities that provide employment, training, business experiences and general income for Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en people; to facilitate, sponsor and or contract training to improve managerial, entrepreneurial and economic self-reliance skills; to liaise and provide marketing and research information; to administer the corporation's funds identified under Indian and Northern Affairs funding; and to pursue federal, provincial and other sources of funding to enable the corporation to carry out its mandate.
The corporation currently administers four programs: the Loan Guarantee Program; the Community Venture Program; the Microbusiness Grant Program; and, a program for workshops and trade shows.
The loan guarantee program is designed to provide easier access to bank or credit union loans for individuals and communities.
"It's the only way a charter bank will want to work with someone in this area," said Howard. "It's a pretty good opportunity for our people to access funding to start business ventures."
The community venture program is a grant giving program for bands, or band-owned corporations and organizations that will increase employment and help keep locally generated money within the community. The Kispiox band council opened a gas bar, that now employs 10 people, under this program.
The microbusiness grants were created for individuals in the communities to start up home-based businesses. These grants are usually no more than $2,000, said Howard, and have been given out to people starting up a hair salon, a clothing retail outlet, a bookkeeping business, a portable sawmill, a repair shop, convenience stores, a trapping business, a karaoke service and craft shops.
"We found out that they really didn't need too much to start up a home-based business," said Howard. "It's the community members telling us what they like and what their business ideas are."
The workshops provide training for the entrepreneurs and the trade shows allow them to show off their businesses.
Stewart was impressed with how the corporation was able to meet the needs of the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en communities with a much smaller budget than the other economic development corporations that received recognition awards.
"The Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Economic Development Corporation does have less of a budget but they're doing really exemplary things with the resources they do have," said Stewart. "They're doing with what they can whereby profit is not the main concern - the main concern is employment and social well-being."
Corporation leads way to self-sufficiency
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
THE PAS, Man.The Paskwayak Business Development Corporation serves the needs of the 3,000 members of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, which is located near The Pas, Man., about 600 km northwest of Winnipeg. The motto of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation
is Nekano-otawinek - Tipanimisowin which means Progress - Independence in Cree. The development corporation has seen that it lays the foundation for economic stability and self-sufficiency of the community that will allow it to fulfill the goals of its motto.
Warren Wain, a business program instructor at Keewatin Community College, nominated the development corporation for the recognition award. He wrote in his nomination letter that the: Paskwayak Business Development Corporation and its management have consistently worked to further the role of economic development officers in their community and in rural and Aboriginal communities throughout Canada. The umbrella of Paskwayak Business Development Corporation covers eight band-owned businesses and employs approximately 225 band members. This figure, added to the other 200 plus employees, makes the Opaskwayak Cree Nation the second-largest employer in the community.
"Personally, I felt honored and privileged to be among the other [CANDO] recipients there," said Bill Kadachuk, director of business operations for the corporation. "We're all winners. And to be recognized for doing a good job is always something gratifying."
The Paskwayak Business Development Corporation was incorporated in 1987 to oversee the business and community economic development of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. The corporation immediately took over the Cree nation's existing businesses, the Otineka Mall, the IGA, the Timberland Trailer Court and the Chimo Building Centre. Prior to 1987, these enterprises were managed by their own individual committees.
"It was under chief and council that we created one business development corporation, so that all the band-owned businesses were overseen by one entity, which is the Paskwayak Business Development Corporation," said Kadachuk. "We not only wanted to provide business and management services to band-owned businesses, but to provide business and management services to band members at the business and private level. And we've added a training component to our list of responsibility areas."
By providing financial support and business expertise through its business development wing, the corporation has helped 50 band members start their own businesses.
The 60-room Kikiwak Inn is one of the newest and largest accomplishments of the Paskwayak Business Development Corporation. Costing about $8.5 million the Kikiwak Inn provided employment for band members during its construction, as well as longer term employment for its operation.
The mall was given a $750,000 renovation during the construction of the inn, that was financed entirely by the band. As Wain stated in his letter: With all the loans and renovations being paid through cash flow generated from the store sales, [this] is just one outstanding example of self-sufficiency and of what can be accomplished through extraordinary teamwork, solid management and powerful planning.
The band now has a sawmill operation, a gravel and sand delivery service, a video production company that produced a promotional video for the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and a junior hockey franchise, the OCN Blizzard, who play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Kadachuk said that one of the problems facing the development corporation is just trying to keep up with its own growth and success.
He also said that the national conference co-ordinated by CANDO is an effective tool for all First Nations working towards self-sufficiency.
"CANDO is a good organization for that," he said. "I'm glad that they do recognition awards for organizations that deal specifically with economic business development.
"It was a good networking experience. It's good to know that we're not isolated when it comes to the problems we're experiencing," Kadachuk added. "No matter what tribe, or band or region, problems and barriers are similar . . . The information sharing is important because it 's good to know that there are different ways of doing things."
Nisga'a first woman president of CANDO
By Kenneth Williams
Windspeaker Staff Writer
PRINCE RUPERTIt wasn't exactly a crisis, but the executive of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers, also known as CANDO, shifted in the middle of last year. That's when Myron Sparklingeyes, the president, had to resign his position because of his new employer, the Department of Indian Affairs. The department was trying to avert any possible conflict of interest. Angie Stewart, who was the first vice-president, had to step in. But in this one simple change of position, history was quietly made because Stewart became the first woman president of CANDO.
Stewart is the current community economic development program manager of Tricorp, which is a tribal resources investment corporation in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. She's a proud member of the Nisga'a Nation of the Kincolith community in the Wolf Tribe. She has a background in education, but ended up working in economic development in Prince Rupert and just never looked back. She is currently completing a Nisga'a language and culture program through the University of Northern British Columbia.
As acting president, she had to oversee programming for CANDO's annual conference in Montreal this September. During the conference she had to decide if she wanted to seek the presidency or step aside. This was a decision made difficult. The hectic schedule of the conference, combined with the competing desires to step down to spend more time with her daughter, battled against her love for the CANDO organization.
In the end, she decided to run and was elected president for another term.
"The reason I continued to stand as the president for this year was because I really wanted to see the certified economic developer designation running smoothly in a defined process that will allow for very little or no wrinkles," she said. "Being on the board at the beginning of the process has been exciting and to see it come to fruition on my term as president would be very exciting for me."
She has great respect for the previous presidents she's worked for, Sparklingeyes and Darrell Balkwill, but she feels that she can bring an important perspective to the presidency that wasn't there before because she is a woman and a single parent.
"I have a really strong cultural presence as president. I'm very proud to be a Nisga'a woman," she said. "Being a single parent who grew up off-reserve, and yet has maintained a very strong cultural tie to my heritage, I feel that I bring to the presidency a constant mindfulness of our First Nations spiritual values [and] our sense of a unique culture.
"For our membership and potential membership, the economic development practitioners need to believe in CANDO, and need to ratify, by their support, the direction that CANDO is going. In order for that to happen, we need really strong leadership. I believe that's what I bring in my presidency."
Her involvement in the organization began three years ago. She was first elected to the council's board of directors in 1995 and then gradually rose up the ranks.
"The president's position is not hands-on in the administration of CANDO, but rather oversees the administration or the operation of CANDO at an arm's length," she said.
Even so, she wants the conferences to benefit community economic development officers in a direct way.
"At our [CANDO] strategic planning session board meeting, we developed a list of topics and how we wanted them delivered," she said. "The main thing that I heard coming back from the conferences was, 'it was all fine and good to meet people and powerful contacts, but if I don't come back with skills or useful information that will help me do the best job I can in my community, it's just another conference.' As far as my contribution to the conference, I feel that the topics ought to fall in that line - that the economic development officers attending the conference have to come back with meaningful information."
| Windspeaker
Home Page | Top of This Page
|
| AMMSA Home Page |
[ CFWE-FM
| Alberta Sweetgrass | Saskatchewan Sage | Raven's
Eye | Aboriginal Media Services
]
[ Mission & History | AMMSA Marketing | Advertising
| Merchandise | Subscriptions
| Contest ]
Comments: e-mail: edwind@ammsa.com
