ICAB Forum 2009
From Entrepreneur to Community Venture, from Small Business to Mega Project:
examine multiple facets of Aboriginal economic development!
Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26, 2009
Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa
Forum Program
Download Forum 2009 in PDF
• Click here for slideshow of Forum 2008
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Community tour of business ventures with Stó:lõ Community Futures
part 1: Chehalis community and businesses
part 2: Stó:lõ entrepreneurial businesses
Click here to view a preview of the Stó:lõ Tourism video
ICAB Annual General Meeting
Dinner with His Honour, The Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.
Hosted in partnership with the Chehalis First Nation
ICAB is honoured to be welcomed into the heart of Chehalis territory. Chief Willie Charlie and his family will join the ICAB delegates and grace the gathering with the experience of a First Nations welcome rich in tradition allowing “the spirit to work in a good way”. The ceremonies include prayer and song to celebrate the respectful coming together of cultures and visitors in Chehalis Territory.
Chief Charlie will share an inspiring introduction to the culture, lands and legends of the Chehalis First Nations people. The family will share stories, legends, drumming, and singing. Later in the evening, the Charlie family will share in the honouring of Xwe li qwel tel, Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point. This ceremony is very powerful and will impact not only the person being honored, but also those who watch and observe.
Throughout the evening, Chief Charlie and his family encourage a lively conversation about the ceremonies witnessed, about the Chehalis people’s ancient and contemporary connection to the land, about cultural ways and spirituality.
Click here to view welcome by Marlane Christensen,
President, ICAB
Click here to view the address by His Honour, The Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Click here to view dancing and cultural sharing by Chief Willie Charlie and dancers from the Chehalis First Nation
Friday, June 26, 2009
Welcome by Marlane Christensen, President, ICAB, overview of ICAB programming and priorities, overview of the day
Click here to view
Key note address
Chehalis First Nation
CREATING CERTAINTY FOR CHEHALIS AND PARTNERSHIPS: A 10 YEAR CONTINUUM
Since the late 1990’s the Chehalis village administration has grown from an Indian Affairs management system to a made-in-Chehalis model. By intention, Chehalis’ approach to community development has included co-management of aboriginal rights and title affairs along with those of economic development. Over the years Chehalis has experienced successes and challenges in its community-owned enterprises as well as in the joint ventures it has entered in fisheries and forestry sectors. An overview of its past and current businesses will be presented. The recent creation of the new Sts’ailes Development Corporation is envisioned by Council as the means under which Chehalis becomes more recognized “as a good place to do business” resulting in more jobs and wealth for its citizens. The presentation will conclude with an overview of the SDC Governance structure.
Click here to view.
Presentation
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION: THE STORY OF THREE STÓ:LÕ BUSINESSES
Mike Watson, General Manager, Stó:lõ Community Futures
Stó:lõ Community Futures (SCF) receives its mandate from Western Economic Development Canada. It is one of three Aboriginal Community Futures in BC covering all of Stó:lõ Territory and serving its Aboriginal peoples.
SFC focuses on three core areas:
• Services and training programs to entrepreneurial clients.
• Administering lending funds.
• Providing basic community economic development initiatives, seeking partnerships, and working to advance the overall economies of the Stó:lõ traditional territory.
Other subsidiary operations of SCF include:
• Stó:lõ Tourism Commission, whose objective it is to oversee the development of a comprehensive Stó:lõ tourism strategy
• Stó:lõ Artisan Centre, supporting over 70 Artists and representing 25 Nations; and
• the Stó:lõ REACH site and resource centre, providing computer and internet support to Aboriginal entrepreneurs.
Click here to view.
Roberta Cheema, Owner, TUSH
Driven, loving and enthusiastic are a few words to describe the personality of Roberta Lee. Born in Vancouver she became interested in fashion at a young age. Her mother Peggy worked for Bonmarche as a Quality Control Specialist and gave her the knowledge of high quality clothing and manufacturing. Roberta soon developed her own ideas and took an undergarment manufacturing course, shaping her own designs. She sold them to co-workers at Westjet and developed her marketing skill. Roberta sought to create a line of the same category brand names. She decided to take a leave from her job to design full-time out of her basement. Today Roberta focuses on producing an elaborate collection of beautiful, creative swimwear and lingerie for today’s women.
Click here to view presentation.
Thoro Hall, General Manager, Vedder Station Shell
Thoro Hall graduated from high school in 1988 and started working for McDonalds’ restaurants in Chilliwack. He worked his way up to Assistant Manager and stayed with the company for 13 years. After leaving the restaurant business, Thoro attended the University College of the Fraser Valley in the Business Administration Program and was hired by the Stó:lõ Nation in the Business Development Department as a Business Counsellor. His responsibilities included assisting First Nation people to use their skills to start their own business. Joined by his family, Thoro ventured into new territory in 2005. Working as the project manager and contractor first, he literally built his own business from the ground up and opened the Vedder Station Shell Gas Station and Convenience Store in the summer of 2006. He now manages the business along with his brother Walter and is supported by his family who helps out. He is thankful that the business is continuing to grow and he is looking forward to starting new business ventures in the future.
Click here to view presentation.
Vedder Station Shell (Power Point Presentation)
Sandra Bonner-Pederson, Owner/Operator, Bear Image Productions
Sandra Bonner-Pederson is a member of the Tzeachten First Nation and owner/operator of Bear Image Productions. She started in the television industry in 1989 as a volunteer host for a First Nations program entitled: “Rebirth of a Nation.” She wanted to learn how to help behind the scenes, and collected the prerequisites necessary to enrol at BCIT. She graduated from BCIT in 1994 and worked first at ITV in Edmonton as a Writer/Producer in Promotions and then carried the same title over to Super-channel/Family Channel. Sandra returned to Chilliwack and worked as a part time shooter and editor for Shaw Cable. She established Bear Image Productions, which is located on the Tzeachten reserve, in 2002.
Click here to view presentation.
Bear Image Productions
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Breakout Sessions
Each Breakout session considered questions listed below from the perspective of each session topic. Some topics lead discussion to focus on some questions more than others. The exercise will be briefly summed up in the final plenary session and more fully reported in a post-conference report.
• What avenues are available for Aboriginal communities to become equity partners in development projects?
• How can industry approach the development of business, relationships and partnerships with Aboriginal communities from a financing perspective?
• What are the risks and benefits for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal partners to work together?
• How does the participation in or development of mega projects by communities translate into community economic development?
• What mechanisms are useful to translate community economic development and/or mega projects into entrepreneurial opportunities for individual community members?
• What role does social enterprise play in Aboriginal economic development?
• What corporate structures are required to successfully develop partnerships and business opportunities?
• What management capacity does industry need to develop partnerships with Aboriginal communities?
• What management capacity do Aboriginal communities need to capitalize on opportunities?
• What are the major challenges industry and Aboriginal communities face when developing their corporate infrastructure, governance and business management capacity? What are some of the solutions?
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