The 2013 Indspire awards were handed out to the recipients at the Sid Buckwold Theatre in Saskatoon on February 15th. Hosted by Darrell Denis and Cheri Maracle, the show opened with traditional dancers to set the tone for the event. Alberta country musician Terri Clark, along with Sherry St Germain, Burnt Project 1, and A Tribe Called Red provided stellar musical interludes for the awards gala. Award recipient Theoren Fleury, who was born in Saskatchewan, praised his home province for giving him the opportunity to make hockey his career.
The show will be televised April 19th on Global and APTN, and it will be an excellent opportunity to watch the highlights of the 20th annual presentation of the awards, formerly known as the Aboriginal Achievement Awards. The recipients are individuals who have made a difference, and the Indspire Awards recognize their contributions in sports, culture, education, business is a celebration of the talents and intelligence of our people. The awards also are a great source of inspiration for young people who need to believe in themselves to reach their own goals. Listening to people who have spent a lifetime following their dream is an excellent motivation factor.

We have   discussed partnerships in our Dialogue on Native Business section several times in the past year.  Many  of them have  dealt with  alternative energy, mining, and  forestry, and    these partnerships are formed based on  a  natural resource on  Native land  that requires funding to develop, such as Running River  energy. In this issue, we are looking at another form of partnership:  the building of a shopping mall on Native land. It is a venture that needs advanced planning from and a solid   business plan to form a partnership that will require funding in excess of a hundred million dollars.

The    Westbank   First    Nation WFN)  has  opened two  shopping centers in  the  last  three  years,    Snyatan  ( The  Gathering Place)  in 2011 and  the  Okanagan Lake Landing in 2013. Both projects were  in  the  planning stages for several years,  and  Chief Robert Louie  stated, “In  the    1990’s, Westbank First  Nation  placed infrastructure  development at the  top  of their  priority list. It had been decided that building water and   sewer   lines, for instance, was necessary in order to foster development. Next was the establishment of an   effective and efficient governance structure with the coming into force of the Westbank First Nation Self Government Act and the Westbank First Nation Constitution. After a couple decades of work, the framework for development was in place.”

The vision of building a shopping mall was formed by the   band collectively and   for practical reasons, according to Dan Brown, Manager of Planning and Development. “The West Bank First Nation has five reserves, two of which are bisected by Hwy 97, the main north-south transportation corridor in the region. With large traffic volume moving up and down the highway every day, WFN had the advantage of highway exposure for its retail developments. Between 2006 and 2009 the following well known tenants located on Westbank First Nation leased lands: Walmart, London Drugs, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Superstore, Staples, Rexall, CIBC, Royal Bank, HBC, Marks Wearhouse, Sleep Country, and many others.  Beginning in 2008, however, WFN began plans to build their own shopping centers . This entailed contributing community lands and entering into joint venture partnerships with two companies experienced in building and operating shopping centers.”

The Snayatan was the first WFN shopping centre to open its doors in November of 2011.  The second WFN shopping centre, Okanagan lake Landing   had   been in the planning stages for several years”   Dan   Brown   said,   “but it was decided to time the development with the construction of a new highway interchange project in order to easily get motorists to and from the shops. The first phase at 125,000 sq. ft.  is anchored by the very popular Landmark XTreme Cinema complex with eight theatres, including one with a three-story-high screen.”

The two shopping centres have been an important part of the Westbank First Nation’s success.  “There are many benefits, including the expertise gained from putting together major joint venture partnerships, as well as learning the shopping centre business,” Chief Louie stated emphatically. “It gives WFN   comfort also, knowing that they can successfully be a big player in the Okanagan Valley.  Ongoing yearly   proceeds are reinvested into other projects, allowing for continued growth and prosperity. Part of the income generated also goes back into the community, revitalizing its culture, language, and peoples.”

The importance of these partnerships   and  how they were  selected and  dealt with reflects a  wisdom  and maturity from  the WFN Council and  business group that should  be   an   inspiration  for other bands looking for a way to develop their  own  resources to achieve financial independence. “At  first  our   membership  wanted to  fully fund  and develop a retail  mall project ourselves, but   we  felt  we  did not  possess the  necessary expertise at the  time,”  Chief Louie remembers. “In order to mitigate risk and increase our likelihood of success, we decided to bring partners on board. For the first shopping centre Snayatan, we brought in partners at a 40/60 ratio,   with WFN carrying the 40%. For the next shopping centre, Okanagan Lake Landing, we negotiated a 50/50 partnership. In another generation, WFN feels we will have the expertise to fully fund and develop a  similar project outselves.”

Because of intelligent planning and a pragmatic business sense, the West Band First Nation now has a total of approximately 1.3 million square feet of retail real estate with an assessed value of $1.2 billion. When asked if he had any advice for Native organizations looking to implement a similar business plan, Dan Brown gave this answer: “Work with the resources and location at hand. Compliment this with good governance and land management processes. If unable to provide the services solely, look to tie in with regional service providers. Most importantly, be creative and don’t be afraid to think big.”

Vancouver, BC – Roy Henry Vickers, one of Canada’s most-lauded artists, launches his largest-ever collection of new prints at a public gallery and storytelling event on Saturday, April 6, 2013, from 10:30am to 4pm, at Vancouver’s iconic Waterfall Building. The creations on display were inspired by Raven Brings the Light – a highly anticipated book co-authored by Vickers and historian Robert Budd – telling the legend of how Raven brought light to the world.

“This story belongs to the people of the Northwest Coast, where is has been passed from generation to generation for thousands of years,” said Vickers. “It is a great joy for me to share this in a new way. I hope through this story, thousands more will discover and understand this important piece of our culture.”

The April event marks Vickers’ first time unveiling a new collection in the city since The Vancouver Series in 1988. The day promises to be rich in significance, cultural exploration, and artistry. Throughout the celebration visitors may view the striking works, read copies of the book, meet Vickers himself, and enjoy a family-friendly telling of Raven Brings the Light. Collectors and the public will have the opportunity to purchase signed books and one or all of the 12 limited edition fine art prints.

Vickers’ contributions to Canada’s First Nations and artistic communities are widely celebrated. He has received a hereditary chieftainship and several hereditary names from a number of Northwest Coast First Nations, as well as numerous awards including the Order of Canada. His works can be found hanging in the Museum of Anthropology, the collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, YVR International Airport, as well as in Eagle Aerie Gallery, his personal gallery in Tofino.

His artwork is a carefully crafted fusion of traditional and contemporary, with layers of history and myth within his clean, sharp images. As such, he is uniquely placed to share the story of Raven with peoples throughout the world. With Raven Brings the Light, Vickers retells a Northwest Coast legend, traced back more than three millennia by archaeologists. In a time when darkness covered the land, the story goes, a boy named Weget turns into a raven and flies from Haida Gwaii into the sky. There, he tricks the Chief of the Heavens and manages to bring the sun– kept in a box – to the Earth. While the story is ubiquitous across British Columbia, this particular version originates from Chester Bolton, Chief of the Ravens, who told it to Vickers in Kitkatla in 1975. Vickers has since recounted the story to thousands of eager listeners. One such listener is historian and co-author Robert Budd, who first started working with Vickers to document his memoirs. Budd has built a career on sharing stories. His first book, Voices of British Columbia, quickly became a bestseller. During lengthy discussions for the artist’s memoir, the current project was born.

“In essence, my work as a documenter and author is to sustain important stories from individuals and cultures,” said Budd. “When Roy first told me the story of Raven Brings the Light, I knew it was something special that needed to be shared. I feel deeply honoured to help further this tale and help bring it to new life through Roy’s striking art.”

Raven Brings the Light [ISBN 978-1-55017-593-6] is published by Harbour PublishinG and released on April 6, 2013. The book contains 20 colour illustrations by Roy Henry Vickers, including 19 new pieces.

“There is no going back to the way it was before. This country will be forever changed because of what is happening. And there are decisions that have to be made at this crucial juncture by the Prime Minister and by extension all Parliamentarians, but make no mistake, every single Canadian now,” says AFN Chief Shawn Atleo.

Last October, Bill C-45 was put trough Parliament without any First Nations input. Better known as the second omnibus budget bill, it was four hundred pages long and changed 64 acts or regulations. It changed the Indian Act: First Nations communities can now lease designated reserve lands if a majority attending a meeting called for that purpose vote to do so, regardless of how many people show up. Previously, approval required the support of a majority of eligible voters. The Aboriginal Affairs minister can chose to ignore a resolution from the band council that’s in opposition to a decision at the meeting. It changed the Navigation Protection Act: major pipeline and power line project advocates aren’t required to prove their project won’t damage or destroy a navigable waterway it crosses, unless the waterway is on a list prepared by the transportation minister. It changed the Environmental Assessment Act: The first omnibus budget bill had already overhauled the assessment process, and the second one reduces the number of projects that would require assessment under the old provisions.

This act could have a tragic effect on Native lands. UNBC Grand Chief Stewart Phillip was appalled at the government’s action and told the Vancouver Sun, “Bill C-38 completely gutted the Canadian Environmental Assessment process and removed habitat protection from the Fisheries Act. Bill C-45 went on to remove federal responsibility for some 33,000 rivers, lakes, and streams, and reduced that to less than 100. Other features in the omnibus bills passed without any consultation whatsoever with us. The Harper government violated the commitment to work with us in an open and transparent fashion.”

Four women from Saskatchewan (Jessica Gordon, Sheelah Mclean, Sylvia McAdams, and Nina Wilsonfield) decided to protest the bill by staging an event in Saskatoon and using the slogan Idle No More. Tanya Kappo helped organize the event and stated, “The campaign was, in part, a reaction to the conservative government’s omnibus budget bill, which strips environmental regulations from thousands of lakes and rivers throughout Canada.” Within a week, several similar events were held in Regina, Prince Albert, North Battleford, and Winnipeg. The reaction to the events was so positive, they decided to use Facebook to reach more people who might feel the same way and hope they would join together.

Their mission statement was simple and direct: “Idle No More calls on all people to join in a revolution which honours and fulfils Indigenous sovereignty which protects the land and water.” Within two months, the Idle No More Facebook group had 45,000 members spread across the country with a definite agenda: “To support and encourage grassroots to create their own forums to learn more about Indigenous rights and our responsibilities to our Nationhood via teach-in, rallies, and social media.”

It was only a matter of time before protests and rallies were spreading across the country. The message now went deeper than Bill C-45, education cuts, and broken promises that date back to the Royal Commission that was released in 1996. Russell Diablo in a recent article in the Globe and Mail noted that “governments, whether Liberal or Conservative, have continued doing precisely what the Royal Commission warned against: tinkering with a colonial system rather than fixing its rotten foundation. The issues identified by the Commission have never gone away. “

Idle No More called for a Day Of Action on December 10th, and 1500 marched in Edmonton and thousands more from Toronto, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, North Battleford, Vancouver, and Thunder Bay. If the Conservative government wasn’t aware of the seriousness of the movement, surely now their eyes were forced open by the massive support Idle No More was receiving across the country. It was this day that Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence joined the movement and started her fasting and promised to continue until she met with the Prime Minister and the Governor General. Spence became a media darling, front page in every newspaper and on the CBC and CTV news on a daily basis. She was supported by not only the grass roots members but many of the Native leaders who, in a joint feeling of solidarity, headed for Ottawa hoping her demands would be met and they would attend the meeting. Spence became the face of Idle No More, and her meeting with Stephen Harper was now to be attended by all chiefs. The PM agreed to a meeting, but on his turf and only with representatives of the AFN and a few chiefs along with Theresa Spence. And, he would not be there for the entire meeting.

Harper’s response was not acceptable to many of the Native leaders. Grand Chief of the Manitoba Assembly of First Nations Derek Nepinak refused to attend, nor did any of the Manitoba chiefs. Chief Theresa Spence and many Ontario Chiefs attended, led by Grand Chief Gordon Peters who told reporters that his people were prepared to block roads and rail lines on January 16. Shawn Atleo and Matthew Coon Come attended along with several other delegates, but little was resolved at the meeting except an agreement to meet on the 28th of January. A few days later, Chief Theresa Spence and several other chiefs met with the Governor General in what could be best described as a ceremonial meeting. Matthew Coon Come reported that Bill C-45 and 38 were on the table as was the Missing Women problem, but nothing was discussed that resulted in anything of value.

The delegates’ meeting with Harper solved nothing; it only added fuel to to fires of dissension among the chiefs. Rumours of a vote of non-confidence that would force AFN Chief Shawn Atleo to resign were rampant among the chiefs who refused to attend the meeting. There were blockades as predicted the day after, but nothing had changed, and now another meeting is scheduled for January 28th. AFN Chief Shawn Atleo is on sick leave, and Chief Theresa Spence is still on her fast.

The question that begs to be asked is why Stephen Harper put through bills C-45 and C-38 in the first place? He surely must have known there would be a reaction, though it is doubtful he was ready for Idle No More turning into a movement. Considering the media attention the movement has received and the sense of solidarity it has inspired, why has he not promised to undo some of the changes these acts have implemented or at least made them a priority of the discussion? Harper is a savvy politician; he knows that once a bill has been made law it is almost impossible to change it. He may discuss a number of issues at their next meeting, but will it change anything? Will he meet all the chiefs as Chief Derek Nepinak requested in his letter of January 14th?

The answer is no. Harper will be at the meeting, but expect no more from him than listening to only the Chiefs present at the meeting. He will stand tough on Bill C-45 and C-38, and perhaps be more lenient on other issues such as education or suggest another inquiry on missing women. The real issues that started Idle No More will not be resolved, but there is an opportunity to deal with several other issues. The main concern of the movement is that their grievances be heard by the Prime Minister and not lost in some governmental bureaucratic catacomb where promises are regarded as solutions.

The oil sands in northern Alberta have had their share of negative press. They have been portrayed as an environmental nightmare that is destroying Native territory and causing terminal diseases. Very little has been written about the financial gains that some the Native Bands have received from oil companies. The Fort McKay First Nations, the Mikisew Cree, and the Athabasca Chipewyan are the three main bands who have reaped financial windfalls from the oil sands. Together, the three bands gross half a billion a year, which surpasses any other Native business ventures. The oil sands have not only created a source of income, they have inspired a new mold of Native businessman.

Dave Tuccaro is a prime example of the Native oilman: smart, wealthy, and connected to oil company CEO’s and government ministers. His life story will be available in bookstores in the new year, written by Peter C. Newman. Years ago, Newman wrote a book entitled the Canadian Establishment, where he profiled Canada’s most influential politicians and businessmen. There were no First Nations people in the book. At 54, Tuccaro is the richest First Nations businessman in Canada. His money was not inherited or part of a lands claim deal. Every penny was earned, most of it from the oil sands. He is a Mikisew Cree who started in his early twenties working heavy equipment and now is the president of his own company, which he has just sold for $102 Million to a company in Seattle. “We’ve become an economic force.” Tuccaro told the Globe and Mail.“We’re respected now, where in the past, people would look at us and say, ‘You don’t know how to do this.”

There is little that Tuccaro and his people can’t do. They have learned the hard way, and as a result, professions that required non-Native expertise is no longer needed because Native people are now carpenters, electricians, rig hands, and (like Tuccaro) businessmen who are working for one of the many Native owned businesses. Can the millions that are being made by these companies offset the environmental glitches that come with working with the petroleum industry? Primco president, James Blackman feels there is no alternative. “Industry pushes through regardless. We have to work with them collectively to try to at least get a better livelihood for the loss of the land.” Tuccaro feels the same way, the oil sands are in his words, “our new trap lines.” He says, “If we don’t adjust, we just going to get left behind. We’re going to be just as poor as we were before the oil sands started.”

Aboriginal business is very active today and is growing at a rapid pace. People like Dave Tuccaro are pivotal in sustaining that growth. We need more entrepreneurs like him so as a nation we can collectively reach the elusive plateau of financial self sufficiency. The book will be interesting for everyone, and let us hope it may inspire young entrepreneurs to make their dreams come true.

British Columbia is home to one of the last regions of unspoiled temperate coastal rainforest in the world, extending from the southern Discovery Islands up to the BC-Alaska boundary, including many offshore islands and lands to the east toward Kitimat. The forests here are old, with 1000-year-old cedars still standing and spruce growing as tall as 90 metres; rainfall is abundant. The region is a healthy ecosystem home to numerous species, particularly higher order predators such as cougars, wolves, grizzly bears, and black bears.

In 2006, the official boundaries of the Great Bear Rainforest were announced, covering about 14,000 square-kilometres (33% of the region) including the central and northern coasts of British Columbia and the Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). The protection agreement included promises to improve forestry practices, ban logging in 33% of the area, and involve First Nations in decision-making. Despite the agreements and promises, this unique ecosystem is still under threat. The current Northern Gateway Pipelines project backed by Enbridge would bring high volumes of oil tanker traffic through the waterways, and any spill would be an environmental disaster, no matter how earnestly they promise to clean up after themselves. A more immediate concern, however, is trophy bear hunting—killing for sport.

Every year, hundreds of bears in British Columbia are killed by trophy hunters. Grizzly bears are  recognized as a threatened species, but black bears are still unprotected. Among black bears, about one in ten has an unusual white-coloured coat. These are the rare Kermode “Spirit” bears (Ursus americanus kermodei), a subspecies of black bear unique to the region. The Sprit Bear is a creature of myth and mystery in British Columbia, but it is also very real. The Tsimshian people call it moskgm’ol (white bear), and the Kitasoo/Xaixais believe these Spirit Bears are supernatural. They say, “Raven made one in every ten black bears white to remind the people of a time when glaciers covered this land and how the people should be thankful of the lush and bountiful land of today.”

That lush and bountiful land encompasses roughly 70,000 square-kilometres of mountains, rugged coastline, and fjords that support rich salmon streams and a healthy population of Sitka deer. Environmental groups such as the Valhalla Wilderness Society have worked with local First Nations since the 1990s to gather compelling research, produce wildlife documentaries, and help First Nations develop Spirit Bear viewing programs. As a result, wildlife viewing and ecotourism has become a source of sustainable income for local communities. The BC government, however, has consistently ignored pleas from First Nations and conservation groups to protect the land and the animals, continuing to allow sport hunting in the province’s parks, including “protected” areas and the Great Bear Rainforest.

In 2009, the David Suzuki Foundation [www.davidsuzuki.org] reported that “in the 30 years the government has kept records, close to 11,000 grizzly bears have been killed in BC, 88% of them by sport hunters. Many are big-game hunters from the U.S. and Europe who pay thousands of dollars to kill a bear in BC, since these marvellous bruins no longer exist in their own home countries.” Suzuki notes a 2008 McAllister Research poll found that 79% of BC residents believe thrill-hunting is “reprehensible” and should stop, and he referenced the words of Haida leader Guujaaw who recognized that “bears are as much a part of the environment as we are,” and said bluntly, “It’s not right that anyone should make a sport of killing.”

Suzuki also presents compelling evidence in favour of ecotourism. Using bear-watching as a source of community employment and income can be far more lucrative than trophy hunting. Tourists from around the globe pay top dollar to come observe and photograph bears in their natural habitat. “In 2003, a study by the Centre for Integral Economics showed that grizzly-bear viewing brings in twice the income for coastal communities as the trophy hunt. One bear-watching operation in Knight Inlet alone grossed over $3 million in direct revenue in 2007—more than all trophy-hunting revenue combined.” Bear watching is a sustainable industry with a viable future. Bear hunting is a threat to the species, the environment, and Canada’s natural history. Suzuki’s article ends with a somber truth, “Today, the only place you’ll find a grizzly bear south of Wyoming is on California’s state flag. It would be more than a shame if all we had left to remember these magnificent animals in BC were a few films and First Nations carvings.”

Aboriginal peoples across Canada have traditionally hunted for food, ceremonial purposes, and trade within their territories, but killing just for the sake of bagging a trophy is foreign to their culture. After years of unsuccessful efforts to resolve the issue with the province, First Nations on BC’s North and Central Coast have declared a ban on “senseless and brutal” trophy bear hunting in their traditional territories. The Coastal First Nations are an alliance of First Nations that includes the Wuikinuxv Nation, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xaixais, Nuxalk, Gitga’at, Haisla, Metlakatla, Old Massett, Skidegate, and Council of the Haida Nation working together to create a sustainable economy on British Columbia’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii. In a September 2012 press release, Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation Chief Doug Neasloss clearly states, “We will protect bears from cruel and unsustainable trophy hunts by any and all means.” It’s not unreasonable to expect that in the Great Bear Rainforest all bears would flourish, he said. “Unfortunately, trophy hunting continues to be permitted in the majority of Great Bear Rainforest, including its protected areas and conservancies.”

William Housty, integrated resource manager for the Heiltsuk Nation, told the Globe and Mail that guides are tired of coming across bear carcasses. “Our people on the coast are leaning towards ecotourism, and we don’t see this as a good fit,” he said. “A lot of bears are shot in estuaries, in the fall when the salmon are running… the skin and head and claws are taken, but the carcasses are just left there. It’s gruesome.” Jessie Housty, a councillor with the Heiltsuk Nation, explains, “It’s not a part of our culture to kill an animal for sport and hang them on a wall. When we go hunting it’s for sustenance purposes, not trophy hunting.” Housty said bears are often gunned down by trophy hunters near shorelines as they forage for food. “Trophy hunting is a threat to the lucrative ecotourism industry that we are creating. Tourists often come back year after year to watch the same bears and their young grow.”

Mother Grizzly and Cub – Photograph by Ian McAllister

Coastal First Nations say only a total ban on trophy hunting will ensure that bear populations can support the tourism opportunities that add valuable income to our communities. Because the Province is negligent in their responsibility to monitor the trophy hunt the Coastal First Nations will now assume responsibility for bear management on the Coast, Chief Neasloss said. “We will now assume the authority to monitor and enforce a closure of this senseless trophy hunt.” Enforcing this authority without the backing of the province will not be easy. “That’s really a problem,” Housty told CBC News. “We can’t walk up to these hunters and say, `You can’t hunt here.’ We can’t write a ticket.” Housty feels First Nations “should have a voice in how these lands are managed, and this includes the bear hunt.”

BC Minister of Forests Steve Thomson told CBC News that First Nations need to respect the rules and hunting limits set by the province, expecting only “one or two bears harvested this fall.” He also considers the hunting industry an important part of BC heritage and the economy, contributing about $350 million to the province annually. On the other hand, Jessie Housty puts it plainly: “It goes against our cultural beliefs and values of management of our territories and bears in particular, and because we have an increasing presence on our land with research projects, with our people reconnecting to the land, it doesn’t make sense to have hunters in the same area.”

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation [www.raincoast.org] estimates 300-400 grizzlies are killed in BC by trophy hunters each year, and the organization has been campaigning to stop the grizzly hunt for over a decade. “The ‘recreational’ killing of grizzly bears throughout most of British Columbia occurs for two months every spring and fall. The trophy hunting of coastal grizzlies is not so much a sport as a search and destroy mission by trophy hunters with militia-style mindsets employing aircraft, electronic aids, and transport to arrive on a river, walk up to bears and shoot them while they feed.” In 2001, the group was successful in achieving a three-year moratorium on BC grizzly hunting; however, it was overturned when Gordon Campbell took office. “The BC government and the trophy hunting lobby claim that the coastal bear hunt is based on science. The reality is it’s more science fiction than science,” said Raincoast senior scientist Dr Paul Paquet. “In the face of climate change, habitat fragmentation, salmon declines, and threats of oil spills, the province’s faith-based wildlife management is unlikely to ensure the long term viability of coastal bear populations in the Great Bear Rainforest.”

The group recognized the need for a new conservation strategy, and in 2005, Raincoast purchased 24,000 square kilometres of hunting territory—about three times the size of Yellowstone National Park—saving dozens of grizzlies, black bears, and wolves from the commercial trophy hunt. By 2010, they were seeing river valleys come alive with bears and wolves, giving a boost to commercial wildlife viewing and local business opportunities. Brian Falconer, Guide Outfitter Coordinator for Raincoast explains, “As guide outfitting territory owners in the Great Bear Rainforest, our intention has been to support the economic initiatives based on bear viewing in these coastal First Nations communities.” The group manages territories in consultation with coastal First Nations, and Brian says, “No bears have been killed since the acquisition of these territories.”

On September 14, the Raincoast Conservation Foundation announced the purchase of an additional 3,500 sq km hunting area in the heart of Spirit Bear habitat. Chief Councillor Doug Neasloss serves as head guide at the beautiful Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu and was pleased to hear the news. “Raincoast’s purchase of this territory supports the Kitasoo/Xaixais investment in sustainable eco-tourism jobs,” he said. Kevin Smith, president of Maple Leaf Adventures, one of many ecotourism companies that offer bear viewing in the Great Bear Rainforest points out, “This region has some of the world’s best bear viewing, and bear viewing provides far more economic benefit than trophy hunting coastal bears. We applaud Raincoast for their vision and drive to make this happen.” Chris Genovali, Raincoast Executive Director, estimates the conservation group now controls more than 28,000 square kilometres of commercial hunting territory in the Great Bear Rainforest.

2011 BC Aboriginal Award Recipients

VANCOUVER – BC Achievement Foundation is calling for submissions for the Fourth Annual BC Aboriginal Business Awards. “From young entrepreneurs to joint venture businesses, we welcome submissions for this unique awards program, which celebrates Aboriginal businesses from across BC,” says Keith Mitchell, BC Achievement Foundation Chair.

The BC Aboriginal Business Awards honour business excellence in the following categories: Young Entrepreneur (Male and Female), Joint Venture, Community-Owned and Business of the Year awards for one-to-two-person enterprises, two-to-10-person enterprises, and enterprises with 10 or more persons.

Last year, the award recipients’ businesses ranged from pilates to real estate, from catering to construction. Aboriginal entrepreneurs from across the province are encouraged to participate in this year’s awards by entering their own submissions or nominating a business they feel deserves recognition.”

A judges’ panel evaluates the submissions guided by the viability, success, and competitiveness of the business. The panel selects a first-place recipient and up to two second-place outstanding business achievers in each category. All winners will be celebrated at a gala presentation ceremony on December 5, 2012 in Vancouver.

“It was a tremendous privilege to receive my award and I hope my experience will encourage and inspire other Aboriginal entrepreneurs to consider entering the business world as I did,” says Sharon Bond, president of Kelowna’s Kekuli Café Aboriginal Foods and Catering and past winner of a Business of the Year Award.

“These awards are made possible thanks to a partnership with the Province of British Columbia and our generous sponsors, New Relationship Trust, BC Hydro, Teck, Encana, and Spectra Energy,” says Mitchell. “Thank you to all our partners for recognizing and celebrating the value of our Aboriginal entrepreneurs.”

For further information and submission forms, please visit: www.bcachievement.com
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012.

Contact:   Ida Gordano – Coordinator Aboriginal Business Awards
BC Achievement Foundation
604-261-9777
Toll-Free: 1-886-882-6068

I am Mi’kmaw. I come from the Mi’kmaw Nation whose territory (Mi’kma’ki) comprises large portions of NB, NS, PEI, NFLD, QC, and parts of Maine. I am also a band member at Eel River Bar First Nation in northern New Brunswick. I descend from my father, Frank Palmater, who was a hunter and WWII veteran who fought to honour our treaties with the Crown. My grandmother Margaret Jerome was a traditional healer in our community, and my great grandfather was a chief in our community. I am the mother of two boys, Mitchell and Jeremy (ages 20 and 18), and I come from a large family of eight sisters and three brothers.

My family was politically and socially active working on indigenous issues in terms of their work, volunteerism, and activism. It was because they included me in all of their advocacy work from a young age that I dedicated my life to advocating our issues. Throughout the years, I have had the benefit of wise counsel from traditional elders all over the country. They taught me how to listen, observe, adapt, as well as how to focus, pray, and protect myself from the negativity that comes by truth-telling. During the election for example, elders from all over the country had included me in ceremonies, offered medicines, feathers, and even made me a pipe carrier—not to “win” anything, but to keep me protected from the negativity. When I went on stage at the AGM with two traditional elders walking before me and praying, I could literally feel their prayers creating armor around me. Since the election, elders have driven to my office to come and offer gifts, advice, and guidance to keep me protected as I continue my work.

(My focus has always been on protecting our sovereignty. Sovereignty is a tricky word because western lawyers and politicians and international “experts” try to define it in ways which suit their ideologies, objectives, and self-interests. To me, Mi’kmaw sovereignty is our responsibility to protect our lands, our people, our culture, and our jurisdiction to govern ourselves with our own laws, political systems, customs, practices, and values. We have our own education, legal, and trade systems which need to be protected. Our sovereignty and self-determination is key to who we are as indigenous peoples. It is because we are sovereign Nations that we were able to enter into treaties—as no citizen of a state has the right to treat with their government—that is a right reserved for Nations.

But sovereignty is something that must be asserted, acted on, and defended in order to be realized. We cannot just walk around saying we have a right to be sovereign; we must live it. Over the last few decades, our attention has been focused on state courts and what the state’s judges say our “rights” are, but these are not our courts, and they will defend the “assumed sovereignty” of their home states like Canada. We have to assume the responsibility of protecting our own sovereignty, which includes protecting our lands and our peoples.

Our peoples are the strength of our Nations and have an obligation to protect them. They are the ones we call on whenever we need people to defend our lands or our rights to hunt and fish. We call on our people to stop destructive mining practices or pipelines which can destroy entire ecosystems. We rely on our people, and so we must make their well-being a priority. If we cannot protect this generation, then we can’t speak of the seventh generation. The colonial governments, politicians, and media have done an incredible job of trying to cause a divide between our people and our leaders. They have some of our people believing that all of our leaders are corrupt and have some of our leaders believing that none of our people are willing to support their Nations. We have to find a way past all the colonized thinking, lies, deceptions, and distractions and work towards the common goal of protecting our sovereignty, lands, cultures, and peoples.

Our peoples are strong, powerful, beautiful peoples. Our Nations have survived because of the determination and spirit of our peoples. We are stronger than the oppressors. We can be the change we want for our families, communities, and Nations. We are strong, resilient peoples whose spirit has never been extinguished, despite everything that the colonizers have thrown at us. That is not to say that there are no barriers; there are many, and some of them will seem next to impossible to overcome, but no barrier is insurmountable. I wish I could say that the barriers that will be placed before us will decrease over time, but given the obsession most states have with increasing wealth, I predict that the challenges to our sovereignty, lands, and peoples will only increase. That does not mean that we should give up. It means we have to work harder, which means our leaders have to be prepared to be uncomfortable, to make sacrifices in the short term for long term gains. Our leaders are not alone, and our people are not without leaders. We have to come together within our Nations, forgive ourselves for the dysfunction caused by colonization, and move towards decolonizing, healing, and focusing on what we can do to make our Nations stronger.

Our Nations have always lived in balance, whether it be in gender, legal traditions, politics, or our relationship with the environment. However, rights-based discussions bring us out of balance if we don’t remember to include our corresponding obligations. We may have a right to hunt, for example, but we have a corresponding duty to protect the ecosystem in which those animals live out their lives. Our lands, waters, and skies provide everything we need to survive and thrive, so we have sacred obligations to protect them. Right now, we are the best hope that Canadians and Americans have of protecting the health of our lands, waters, and skies. Our traditional indigenous knowledge is holistic and has proven track records for millennia. Our rights are balanced by our responsibilities to protect all beings: plants, animals, fish, birds, and spirits—not just humans. We have to stand behind our elders and warriors when they stand up to protect our territories from irrevocable harm. The temptation to think about compensation (money and jobs) instead of obligation (protecting lands, waters, skies) will continue to distract us from our guardianship duties, but we have the power to resist.

The Enbridge pipeline project, company, and managers have proven that time and again that they cannot follow their own safety standards, cannot prevent massive spills, and try to focus instead on how well they work on clean up and remediation. Enbridge uses the standard m.o. used by mega-industries all over the world: if you offer people enough money, they eventually give in. What indigenous peoples have done is remind Canadians—and indeed people all over the world—that one cannot eat money or drink oil/gas. If companies like Enbridge destroy entire water basins, inlets, and ecosystems, we all suffer, even those of us who refused to take their monetary compensation.

I see a trend where more and more Canadians, especially those who care about health, environment, wildlife, oceans, and social justice are looking to indigenous peoples for not only their traditional indigenous knowledge but also for their position of power vis a vis the Canadian state and its corporate supporters. First, traditional indigenous knowledge is holistic and based on how the world is at a local level, instead of the more western knowledge system which is based on scientific theories about how the world ought to be. Our knowledge systems focus on the inter-relationships between people, animals, fish, plants, spirits, and everything that is essential for protecting any particular eco-system.

Secondly, as the Indigenous Peoples/Nations of Turtle Island, we have various rights and responsibilities related to these lands, waters, and skies. Some of our rights are protected in Canada’s constitutional structures and instruments, as well as various international laws and covenants. Many of us have treaties that add further recognition and protection, not just for specific activities but over territories. If we want to stop any threats to our wellbeing, like the Enbridge pipeline, we just have to keep standing up. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs has taken a strong stance on the pipeline and is just one example of indigenous peoples paving the way for other First Nation leaders, elders, youth, and community members to protect their traditional territories from destruction. I believe we can support Indigenous Nations all over Turtle Island in a variety of ways. We each have our own particular skills, personal circumstances, and challenges at any point in time. Thus, how we help stand up for Mother Earth will be different for different people at any given time. This could include writing letters, submissions, researching, legal presentations, leading protests, engaging the media, working with the public, building capacity and knowledge in our communities, fundraising, cooking for protesters, driving elders and activists to various events/protests, and so on. Every contribution helps. There is something each one of us can do, and by taking action, we live up to our responsibilities as the guardians of Mother Earth and to our children seven generations into the future.

The act of resistance is itself an act to fulfill our obligations and to honour the many sacrifices of our ancestors, without whom we would not be standing on our territories today identifying as MI’kmaq, Cree, Ojibway, and Maliseet.