Diamond Light
PM# 41835528
RICH ALLURE OF THE NORTH
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 1
Helping to keep the community strong. At BMO Bank of Montreal®, we are continually working to provide Aboriginal communities with a wide range of financial products and services designed to meet your unique needs. Talk to us today or visit bmo.com/aboriginalbanking
2 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE ®
Registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal.
Set in the dramatic and inspiring landscape of the South Okanagan, NK’MIP Resort is an ideal location for productive meetings, special events, magical weddings and relaxing get-a-ways. Where else in Canada can you enjoy enviable weather, Canada’s warmest lake, an outstanding resort and spa, gourmet dining, an award-wining winery and vineyards, a unique cultural centre, a fabulous desert golf course and a waterfront campground and RV experience? Located in Osoyoos, British Columbia, is the magnificent 80 hectare NK’MIP Resort (ink-a-meep). Created within the greater vision of the Osoyoos Indian Band, this $100 million resort is owned and operated under the esteemed and progressive leadership of Chief Clarence Louie.
Chief Clarence Louie welcomes you to experience our
NEW 300 SEAT CONFERENCE CENTRE
with state-of-the-art facilities for your large or small group needs. NK’MIP Conference Centre
NK’MIP Cellars
Large or small we can cater to all your meeting space needs with flexible, state-of-the-art, fully-serviced professional conference facilities and meeting rooms fully equipped with everything for your group of up to 300.
North America’s first Aboriginal owned and operated winery. The 18,000 sq ft space incorporates native art and the unique nature of the desert sagebrush. NK’MIP Cellars boasts wines claiming over 40 national and international awards.
Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa A 4.5-star destination resort with luxurious condostyle Villas and Suites, gourmet dining at Passa Tempo Restaurant, market café, outdoor heated pools and hot tubs, fitness centre, meetings spaces and the indigenousinspired treatments at Sonora Desert Spa.
Sonora Dunes Golf Course
NK’MIP Desert Cultural Centre
NK’MIP RV Park
A state-of-the-art interpretive centre celebrating “the Lands, the Legends and the People” of the Osoyoos Indian Band. Experience hands-on cultural and nature displays, walking trails, daily cultural and rattlesnake programs, and a unique First Nations gift shop.
Set on the banks of Osoyoos Lake, this year-round experience offers over 320 sites, an indoor pool and hot tub, a BBQ patio for large groups, and a clubhouse for group activities. Convenience store and wireless internet access.
This year-round 9-hole, par 35 is a one-of-a-kind desert-links style golf course. Clubhouse features covered patios with open deck areas, a snack bar and pro shop.
Whether you are re-living a childhood summer memory of fun and sun in Osoyoos, seeking a romantic getaway, or if you are here for a corporate retreat, a reunion, or a wine tasting experience, there is no doubt this visit will lure you back, again and again.
Call 1.888.96NKMIP (65647) or visit www.nkmip.com to plan your experience.
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 3
contents
VOLUME 1 NUMBER 5 • APRIL 2011
features
Publisher
Cover Story
Contributors Bobbi-Sue Menard Graham Stevens Brandy Lynn Darcy Nybo Racelle Kooy Lesley Gabriel Karen Luniw David Allison Andrea East Bruce Lacroix
Craig Brown EDITORIAL Editor
Devon Brooks
18 DIAMONDS
are not forever
The Northwest Territories’ economy is on a tear because of diamonds, but diamond mines are only so big. What happens after the last carat is gone?
23 DET'ON CHO
Director of Sales
How one northern band is using the boom to put together a diamond-hard business base.
Roy Kunicky
12 The Best, the only World Chicken Dance Championship
Advertising Don Jack Arlene Paulsen
28 2011 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
Creative Director
…and a whole lot more at Blackfoot Crossing
Cover Photography By Tania Spencer/GNWT
Articles 7
Donna Szelest
Contributing Photographer
Shawn Talbot
Native Business Development Magazine is a member of:
GETTING THE BOOT
Actually it’s a moccasin or a mukluk
40 SOUND OF MUSIC AT THE MANITO AHBEE FESTIVAL
columns
departments
5
16 top 10: customer
From the Editor
Punching way above your weight
10 BUSINESS LAW:
INAC vs. the human rights tribunal
11 MARKETING 101: is it better to laugh or irritate?
26 FIRST STEPS: Friends and Family We all turn to our closest but in business your first instinct might not be the best
37 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Approaches to SelfEmployment
“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.”
service tips
32 ART & CUlTURE:
Who is Jackie Traverse? Painter, sculptor, videographer
38 NEWS flashes
P.O. Box 32102, 2151 Louie Drive, Westbank, BC V4T 3G2 T. 778-755-5727 F. 778-755-5728 www.prospermediagroup.ca President & CEO
Craig Brown
VP Sales & Marketing
Chytra Brown
Assistant to the Publisher
Joanne Clarke
The Native Business Development Magazine is published in Westbank, BC by Prosper Media Group Inc. ©2010 All rights reserved. The views expressed in Native Business Development are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher or staff.
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 41835528. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: P.O. Box 32102, 2151 Louie Drive, Westbank, BC V4T 3G2.
Printed in Canada. 4 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
editor’sdesk
Punching way above yourWeight
A
s I write this Canada is just starting off on another general federal election. Chances are that you won’t care and you won’t vote. That’s a sad fact of life, and the younger you are, the less likely you are to vote. You’re not alone. Elections Canada has done polling of Canadians and the biggest reasons for not voting, in order, are: 1) Just not interested; 2) Didn’t like parties/candidates; 3) Vote wouldn’t matter. Back at the dawn of the 20th century Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier famously pronounced that the 1900s would belong to Canada. Had he been a bit more honest he would have said something like: ‘It looks like the 20th century will belong to wealthy, white men, preferably of English descent in Canada.’ I’m no politician so it seems profoundly unwise to say this century will belong to the aboriginal, but it’s just possible that it could. Speaking out and being heard is the biggest reason why I think that could be the case. Let’s play some number games. There were approximately 1.3 million Canadians who claimed aboriginal ancestry in the 2001 census. The aboriginal population is going up every year, and among those about one-third are too young to vote. That leaves close to 900,000 eligible to cast a ballot. Only once every four years do politicians pay attention. We wish they would pay attention to what needs to be done and what should be done, but the truth is they listen the most closely to those who make enough noise to demand their attention. Get enough voters going one way and politicians pay attention because they have to. Put another way if every aboriginal voted, collectively they would carry as much weight as the voters of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. You could argue that those two provinces don’t control the direction of Canada or the Prime Minister, but that many votes, working together, demand a huge amount of attention. Voter turnout is falling across Canada, and any large group that activates itself can push issues way out of proportion to their voting weight. That’s another way of saying they can make things happen that they want. Maybe this general election it could be you. Devon Brooks is the managing editor of Native Business Development Magazine. If you have comments on this column or anything else you would like to see please send a note to editor@nbdm.ca. Photo courtesy of Elections Canada
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 5
E DI T O R I A L
from the
6 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
WINNIPEG'S
Cobbler to the World
By Graham Stevens
To understand Sean McCormick you need to walk a mile in his mukluks
Photo by Phil Hossack, Winnipeg Free Press
S
ean McCormick always liked the feel of a pair of well-made mukluks. That came naturally to him since his parents had always encouraged him to cherish his Métis heritage. Although born and raised in southern Manitoba, trips to visit northern relatives in The Pas provided plenty of opportunity to experience the comfort, warmth and durability of First Nations footwear. Out of school and barely into his twenties, McCormick went to work in a Winnipeg tannery. “I was running things producing leathers and furs. I would trade those for finished moccasins and mukluks from the First Nations community. I could never get enough. So, I decided to start making them myself. It was kind of a natural fit. I’m a hunting and fishing guy and I wore them myself.” In 1997, McCormick became president and owner of Blue Moose Clothing Company Ltd. He opened the order books and shipping doors and began manufacturing aboriginal-style footwear. McCormick recalls, “We opened in Brandon with three employees. For the first eight years probably 90% of our production staff were aboriginal.” Eventually, McCormick moved the company to Winnipeg. “I couldn’t find enough staff to support the growth in Brandon. These days, we have over 50 employees, almost all non-aboriginal. When I came to Winnipeg, I found aboriginal applicants had a higher level of education and were more interested in the office side. I now have six admin staff and five are aboriginal. I’m very happy about that.” McCormick sets a high standard for the people he hires, “If I cannot find the skill set I need in the First Nations community, I’ll look elsewhere.” Still, he emphasizes the importance of recruiting and training aboriginal staff, “I hope everyone stays, but we are developing
Manitobah founder Sean McCormick shows off a pair of mukluks at his Winnipeg warehouse
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 7
CLO T H I N G
article
WINNIPEG'S COBBLER continued
aboriginal people who could go on to be entrepreneurs in other companies.” Three years ago, McCormick’s company adopted the Manitobah Mukluk brand. It now sells over a hundred thousand pairs of mukluks and moccasins plus accessories like purses and mitts every year to some of the world’s better shoe retailers through distributors and agents in 22 countries. With retail price points from well under a hundred dollars to three hundred dollars or more McCormick says, “Our sales are well, well, well into the multimillions.” Sales like that do not come from simple moccasins. Manitobah Mukluks use natural leathers from deerskin to sheepskin, furs from rabbit to beaver to coyote. There is even an option for a Vibram sole for city wear. These boots and shoes carry such an aura of quality they even cleared the high hurdles set for products featured in Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine. McCormick says the quality comes from the extensive hand labour that goes into each pair of footwear. He talks about his factory, “In some ways we are in a very antiquated production facility, but it’s the very nature of the products we make. There’s a lot of handwork; we don’t just press a button on a machine and stamp things out. A lot of the fur is hand cut. All the beadwork is done by hand. We do a lot of hand lacing. Our product is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum. The quality we produce here and what goes into it is not only meaningful, but there is real value there as well. We’re in a tough business, but we hope that people will get what we’re trying to do.” Without a huge marketing budget, McCormick advises, “We really depend on grass roots exposure,
8 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
people talking about the product.” He also credits Vicepresident of Sales and Marketing, Josh Fine, with a solid knowledge base of who the expert footwear marketers are in each region of the world. Coming from Canada has benefits, too. Last fall, Fine told the Globe and Mail Report on Business, “At these trade shows, it is usually a sea of made-in-Asia product. Our made-in-Canada boots really stand out.” Quality products, skilled workers and effective marketing can build success but, in the end, everything depends on solid financing. McCormick says Manitobah has very good banking relationships. Still, when it came time to raise expansion capital, he contacted CAPE Fund, the $50 million Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship Fund started in 2009 by former Prime Minister Paul Martin. CAPE Fund Director Alex Farley says Sean McCormick and Manitobah easily filled CAPE Fund’s two prime objectives. “We look for aboriginal companies
that can make money and provide a financial return on our investment. Just as important, we also want to promote aboriginal entrepreneurs and management.” In July 2010, CAPE Fund acquired part ownership of Manitobah for an undisclosed amount. Farley says, “We generally invest in a company for six to eight years. At that point, we facilitate the repurchase of our position by the company.” Asked about McCormick’s strengths, Farley replies “Sean is very dynamic. I like to say he’s ‘on fire.’ He’s very mature despite his relatively young age and he’s always willing to listen. We hope he will be a role model for other aboriginal entrepreneurs. He certainly has everything needed for that.” Asked for any advice for other aboriginal entrepreneurs, McCormick says, “I’m just very lucky to have a bunch of very dedicated people. I show them respect and treat them with respect and it definitely comes back to me and the company in spades.” Photos of shoe wear contributed
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 9
CO LU M N
businesslaw
INAC appeals
Human RightsTRIBUNAL slap down
I
n 2008, the federal government introduced a significant shift in its First Nations policies by repealing the section of the Canadian Human Rights Act that excluded decisions under the Indian Act from scrutiny by the Canadian human rights system. The first decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal considering Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s (INAC) leasing policies (Louie and Beattie v. INAC) was released in early 2011. This decision marks the beginning of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal’s investigations into First Nations peoples’ complaints of discrimination on the part of INAC. Although the Canadian Human Rights Act has been around since 1977, INAC is only now having its policies reviewed by this body. In this case, a locatee (land holder) and a developer entered into a joint venture agreement where the locatee would contribute land, in the form of a 49 year prepaid lease with rent of $1.00, and the developer would contribute the building of a house and marketing of that house for sale. Proceeds were to be divided, with two-thirds going to the locatee and one-third to the developer. The locatee applied to INAC for a lease and advised that the nominal rent was nonnegotiable and an appraisal unnecessary. He agreed to provide INAC a release of liability regarding the rent.
10 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
INAC declined this proposal because INAC’s leasing policies required an appraisal of the land to be leased and a justification for a departure from fair market rent. Correspondence went back and forth over the next 18 months involving various INAC officials, including the Minister. The locatee filed a complaint resulting in a hearing in front of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal more than three years after the initial application to lease. The Tribunal found INAC’s policies on this issue were discriminatory. It stated the process for approving locatee leases “must become an enabling administrative function that recognizes and accepts status Indians as personally responsible Canadians capable of making their own determinations of anticipated benefits to be derived from leasing their lands, and that ministerial discretion must not be exercised unilaterally.” In other words locatees are adults who can make their own decisions on leases about how much is enough. The Tribunal ordered INAC to reconsider the locatee’s application to lease. Further, INAC was ordered to amend its land management policies so that individual locatees can determine for themselves if a transaction is to their individual benefit, and when they do so, INAC will accept that determination and process the requested lease.
By Andrea East
The Tribunal ordered INAC to reconsider the locatee’s application to lease. Further, INAC was ordered to amend its land management policies so that individual locatees can determine for themselves if a transaction is to their individual benefit, and when they do so, INAC will accept that determination and process the requested lease. Finally the Tribunal told INAC to work with the Canadian Human Rights Commission to prevent similar discriminatory practices. INAC has filed an application for judicial review. If the Tribunal’s decision is upheld by the courts, a locatee could decline INAC’s oversight of business terms in a leasing transaction. This would shift INAC’s role from providing binding advice on business to having, as the Tribunal described it, an “enabling administrative function.” This would also establish a precedent for the Tribunal’s review of other INAC policies and practices on human rights grounds. Andrea East is a business lawyer at Pushor Mitchell LLP practicing in the area of First Nations Law and commercial transactions. You can reach Andrea at 250-869-1245 or e-mail her at east@pushormitchell.com. This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or relied upon as legal advice. Always seek legal advice concerning any specific issues affecting you or your business.
CO LU M N
businessmarketing
Laugh IN MARKETING
Having a
I
s humour more effective than a simple, repetitive, but boring message? It was a question put to me by none other than Native Business Development Magazine’s hardworking editor Devon Brooks. And one well worth contemplating, considering the changes taking place in marketing communication these days. We in the aboriginal community certainly know how to have a good laugh, but when is it appropriate to bring our clever quips and oneliners to the forefront of our marketing communication campaigns? With new arrivals like Facebook and Twitter adding a seemingly more laid-back approach to our exchanges, it’s easy to get muddled about tone. Traditionally, when it came to marketing communication pieces that were “permanent” – a print ad, a brochure, a direct mail piece – unless your product or brand had a real connection to something that was humorous – you’d keep things fairly straightforward. Of course, it could be lighthearted, but the idea of crossing your fingers and hoping that what you had created was a real knee-slapper was usually a bit too risqué. Generally speaking, the same thing can still be said for permanent pieces, but with the advent of social media and online mediums, the rules have changed slightly. Social media, after all, is about being social and getting to know each other. So, it only makes sense to let down your guard a bit and have some fun. Less permanent, or
By David Allison
at least less tangible mediums such as Facebook and Twitter allow us to be more personal in our messages and responses. Here, we can be a mix of funny and conversational when it comes to letting our clients get to know us. The thing to remember is that these mediums are still a form of publishing and advertising for your brand and business so don’t clutter your social media efforts with useless information, however amusing it may be. When I’m on Twitter, I tweet what interests me and what I think might interest my clients. I will highlight posts that I think are witty, but are those I’ve also found worthwhile and helpful. I will highlight my own posts too, but might toss in a selfdeprecating line or two to lighten the tone of my self-promotion. In every instance, it’s not so much about being droll. Rather, it’s about being human. It’s a very different approach to marketing communication that we are only just beginning to wrap our heads around. At the end of the day, when it comes to humour, the same rule of thumb applies to all marketing communication mediums: leave it to the professionals. Something you find absolutely sidesplitting may fall flat with the masses. Let them decide what will be the best approach to attract your customers. Post Script: A Word of Caution The world of marketing communication has always been unfailingly polite. And it still is. It is never okay to slam the competition, or make fun of someone’s misfortune. This is especially true in the online world where
you will be called out instantly for any indiscretion. David Allison is a member of the Metis Nation, a Director of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, and a partner at Braun/Allison Inc., the only aboriginal owned real estate and resort marketing campaign company in the world. You can read more of his articles about marketing in BC Business Magazine online at www. bcbusinessonline.ca/onebrand. You can read about his company, and get his free book Sell The Truth, about real estate development marketing at www.braunallison.com. Follow him on Twitter @BAdavid, or e-mail him directly at david@braunallison.com.
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CHBA-CO.com NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 11
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School kids walk the main path to the park
12 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
TOURISM
featurearticle
BLACKFOOT CROSSING: the Intersection of
Siksika History withDaily Life By Racelle Kooy
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park (BCHP) may incarnate authenticity as an aboriginal cultural attraction. It showcases the living history of the Siksika Nation, as told by those people, at a place where significant events in their history took place.
Photo Courtesy of the University of Regina
A
s Jack Royal, president and general manager of BCHP shares: “We are the real deal: living, breathing, thriving culture and history. It is where history took place. The stories shared and cultural displays exhibited are directly from the people who lived and continued to be affected by that history.” Located in the scenic Bow River Valley, BCHP is located approximately 100 km east of Calgary. One hundred percent owned and operated by the Siksika Nation, they voted via referendum to fully designate the 2,000 acre land for the development of BCHP, and since its grand opening in July 2007, BCHP has been receiving visitors year round. A designated National Historic Site, BCHP has also been recommended for consideration as an UNESCO World Heritage site. It is situated in an area that has been a meeting place for the thousands of years. In addition it features Chief Crowfoot’s last tipi site, Chief Poundmaker’s monument, the site where Treaty 7 was signed in 1877, and the Earthlodge Village site believed to have been built by Mandan people in the mid-1700s.
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 13
CORRINE HUNT continued
Visitors participate in a dance with band members in traditional dress
Who is coming to BCHP depends on the time of year and what BCHP feature you refer to. Ninety percent of visitors come from June to August, the normal high season for tourism attractions on the prairies. The overall target market is what was predicted in BCHP’s initial business plan. University educated baby boomers make the trek out from in and around Calgary to enjoy the hands on experiences and interactions with BCHP staff. The tipi village overnight stays are popular with Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, year-end school class trips and young families. The park has developed multiple business lines including a gift shop, cafeteria, conference services, tipi village and programs. This year Royal is concentrating BCHP resources on developing their acreage to make it more park friendly. In order to enhance the outdoor
Interpreter Clifford Crane uses animal skins to tell the story of his people
visitor experience, they will be adding more pathways, benches, storyboards and access to the river. They also plan to upgrade the camping areas. To date BCHP has also hosted four annual World Chicken Dance Championships. This year, they plan on maximizing the event and increase attendance with assistance through a Travel Alberta mentorship grant pairing BCHP with a major event management company, Mobilized Strategies. Beverley Wright, VP of Programs and Business says, “Visitors want to talk with the Blackfoot interpreters, see the dancing, even dance sometimes. They want to interact with Blackfoot people. Understanding this, BHCP tries to make staff available at every opportunity to interact with their guests.”
The Alberta plain in autumn from the main building at the BCHP
These 16 men and women are graduates from the Introduction to Construction Course in Berens River First Nation, and will be among the first to find work on the road expansion projects.
14 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
Every year the Siksika host the world Chicken Dance Championship Contest at the park
While seeing the park hearty dishes in the cafeteria are popular with all demographic groups. Visitor enjoy bannock (fried bread) and berry soup made from Saskatoon berries. Dry meat is another popular snack. BCHP lays claim to being the largest 100% owned and operated First Nation attraction in Canada and possibly North America. To date BCHP has not sought major external support, but receives annual financial support from the Siksika government, which generates revenue through agriculture, oil and gas, small business and investment. Royal is clear about wanting to ensure the independence of the park. He says, “We want to be able to tell our story, showcase our culture and our history through our own eyes, through our own languages, through our own values and belief and own perceptions.” This strong and clear conviction to accurately portray the Siksika worldview is evident in the steps that led up to this year’s launch of the school program, the Siksika Way of Life. Initially, BCHP hired an outside contractor to develop the education programs. Dissatisfied with the curriculum driven program, park managers scrapped it and developed something more organic. The program concept is based on the premise that anything that you learn in school can be taught from the Siksika way of life perspective. Museum quality displays educate visitors on the Siksika’s traditional way of life
Smoking meat is one of the traditional foods that visitors can sample at BCHP
BCHP staff work with each individual schoolteacher to develop a unique program and determine what subjects to focus on. The program delivery results in students experiencing a very different way of teaching, far from what they are used to, whilst exemplifying the worldview of the Siksika. As Royal looks to the future, he envisions BCHP being identified as a world-renowned facility. He sees BCHP as becoming the go-to place for Blackfoot history, culture, research and development. He hopes the experiences he and his staff offer at BCHP will assist in changing attitudes, challenging stereotypes and strengthening relationships. Photos contributed.
Blackfoot Crossing Heritage Park by the numbers Cost of BCHP: .......................................... $32M Aboriginal (Blackfoot) Ownership:............. 100% Land base:...................................... 2,000 acres Exhibit Space:............................... 22,000 sq. ft. Vision Quest Theatre Capacity:....................... 90 Conference Space Maximum Capacity:...........150 Average Annual Visitors:........................18,000+ Full Time Staff:............................................. 20 Seasonal Staff:................................................ 5 Distance from Calgary:........................... 100 km NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 15
CO LU M N
socialmedia
Top 10
Tips forCustomer SERVICE Do'sandDon'ts By Karen Luniw
L
ike most people, I definitely have some pet-peeves when it comes to customer service. Have you gone into a store, a website, looked at a flyer or made a phone call with the intent to buy – only to be shocked by one of these 10 misdemeanours? I’m certain you have as well and I bet you didn’t buy anything because of it.
Business owners – take note: 1. Acknowledge me.
I just want to know that you know that I exist. This might be a basic need in life but when I walk into a store, send an e-mail to your site or friend you on Facebook – I just want to know that you’re happy I’m there. A quick ‘hello’ is all. It’s not that hard, but can make the difference whether I buy or leave and never come back.
2.
Teach me. Don’t assume I know about the product or service. Find out what I know and don’t know and then share with me what I need to know. My best buying experiences ever have been with people who took time and shared what I needed to know and even though I could have gone elsewhere and bought at a lower price – I didn’t.
16 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
3.
Don’t assume I’m stupid, broke, rich, snobby or blonde. I used to think this was specifically a gender issue and I still think it mostly is, but I know that there is plenty of intimidation in a variety of service industries that tend to cater to more upscale clients. I mean, God forbid that you order a regular coffee in some fancy coffee shops.
4.
Don’t assume my husband is in charge of ‘guy’ things and I’m in charge of ‘girl’ things. Last year my car needed a clutch repair so I went to a local shop where I had taken one of our cars previously. I love cars! I even wanted to see the old clutch and the new clutch they were putting in – my husband has never been to the shop. Three months later we received a check-in postcard addressed to my husband. I’ll never, ever go back. My husband’s favourite store is Home Sense. We
may not be traditional, but we’re not that unusual either.
5.
Don’t crowd me. Yes, I want to be acknowledged, but do not follow me around. Do not send me an e-mail, direct message or Facebook e-mail every day. Be there for me when I need you, which means, be attentive, but not pushy. If I’m in a store and you crowd me, I’ll go elsewhere or shop online. If I’m online – I’ll unsubscribe and find what I want from someone else.
6.
Do your best. Be earnest in wanting to help me get what I want whether it’s with you or not. I will remember that and recommend you or try to do business with you somewhere down the line. A favourite restaurant almost poisoned me (accidentally, of course!) and they handled me well enough that I kept going back, which is amazing considering a girl doesn’t get almost poisoned every day.
TOP 10 continued
7.
Don’t B.S. me. The optional title to this would be ’under-promise and over-deliver.’ Don’t tell me something is going to be here next week when you full well know that it’s on a ship in the Pacific and won’t be here for another six weeks. Don’t promise me I’ll make a million dollars when you haven’t helped anyone else do that.
over-delivered – 11 tips instead of 10! See, it’s just that easy!) While this reads like my long-held personal plea to business owners (it is) – I know I’m not the only one who has wanted to do business with you and didn’t for one of these reasons. Want more business? Share this with your staff.
Karen Luniw is a Personal and Business Attraction expert, Author and Speaker who works with highly motivated individuals to up-level their life. Karen’s Law of Attraction Tips podcasts have been downloaded over 10 million times by people all over the world and has been on the top of the U.S. and Canadian iTunes charts. Find out more at KarenLuniw. com or read more of her material at www. thehuffingtonpost.com/karen-luniw.
8.
Get to know me. Whether you have a website or a store – please get to know who I am. Not me personally, but me as your perfect customer. What is most important to me? What are the benefits of doing business with you? So many business owners I talk to don’t really know who their perfect customer is, which means they’re trying to appeal to too many people rather than just me.
9.
It’s me, not you. Don’t take it personally if I don’t buy from you…..this time. Another thing to remember is that I’m not always right. Sometimes, I, as a customer have demands that just aren’t reasonable, so quit trying to get my business and let me go on my way in the nicest way possible.
Empowering First Nations By Enhancing Their Daily Business Interactions & Transactions.
10. Sell me.
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After all, I showed up at your store, website or Facebook page for a reason, right? Nine times out of 10 I have a problem to be solved, please find out what it is and help me – offer me the lifeline I really need.
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11. Be Happy for my Purchase.
Reinforcing my great decision in purchasing from you is also pretty important. Too often I’ve seen salespeople dump us as soon as the sale is made and they’re on to the next. It’s easy for the customer to quickly feel like a number and wonder if the right decision was made. (You may have also noticed that I just under-promised and
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18 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
Digging Downin THE N.W.T. By Bobbi-Sue Menard
It is easy to talk about and hard to overstate the impact diamonds have made on the North West Territories
A
ll residents of the Northwest Territories, First Nation and otherwise, have felt the economic impact, but 53% of direct jobs at the mine sites have been filled by aboriginals, numbers that exceeded original industry predictions. Going forward though there are two concerns: the first being what do NWT residents and natives want, besides jobs, from resource extraction and the second being whether the private corporate sector can find more diamonds to keep the jobs going. For employers and government the natural cycle of resource industries tends to be boom and bust. In the NWT diamonds have become such a big part of the economy that a bust could be devastating. The sixtieth parallel gently swoops across the map, delineating the true North. Yellowknife, on the shores of Great Slave Lake, is 400 kilometers south of the Arctic circle. Three diamond mines, Diavik, Ekati, and Snap Lake lie several hundred kilometers north east of Yellowknife. It is difficult to envision how small the population of NWT is for this expanse of land, which is a bit larger than the province of Ontario but has 1/300 of NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 19
COVER STORY
featurearticle
DIGGING DOWN continued
Workers at the Giant gold mine, just north of Yellowknife, show that even after a mine is closed, it continues to provide employment and income
the population. In 2006 there were 34 recognized communities with a combined population of 41,055 people. Of those 20,635 were aboriginal and 18,700 lived in Yellowknife. To glimpse the outsize impact mining has on this relatively small population look no farther than the recently released NWT Economic Review and Outlook report, which states: “Mining is the largest economic sector in the NWT. It is the main source of employment, creating over 2,500 direct jobs. Industry wages and salaries are the highest in Canada. Aside from direct benefits, the industry generates business and jobs in the transportation, services, trade and construction sectors. While the NWT is a major diamond producer, the overall potential of mining remains largely untapped, with only a small portion of our vast potential being developed.” There is mining and then there is diamond mining. Right now diamond mining is almost synonymous with the NWT economy. Diamonds accounted for more than 40% of the NWT GDP, and tripled the territorial economy in 1991 from $1.6 billion to $4.5 billion in 2008. Young as it is, it is an industry that is probably already in decline. Diamond mining directly contributed over $900 million to the NWT economy in 2009, but that is down from a peak of $1.2 billion in 2007. Opening a new mine is no simple matter, even if more diamonds are discovered. Prior to approving any mine, socioeconomic agreements covering sustainable development, employment and business opportunities, cultural well being and traditional economy and net effect on government must be signed. The three operating diamond mines, Diavik, Snap Lake and Ekati, all signed these agreements and have had the results monitored. 20 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
On the economic development side, a report prepared for the NWT/Nunavut Chamber of Mines and the Mining Association of Canada shows that in 2007 aboriginal businesses captured nearly 40% of the operations contracts from the three mines. “We’ve had pretty phenomenal luck. Ekati, Diavik, NWT mines are world class. To move to third largest producer in the world by value is remarkable,” says Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT/Nunavut Chamber of Mines. It takes world class mines to pay for the expense of working in a hostile climate in remote lands. Hoefer says now that there are experienced local companies in NWT the next mines coming on stream will have access to more developed human capital and corporate competence. “So much has changed in the North. We have seen how aggressive aboriginal companies can be, and now they are experienced companies. That is beneficial for everyone. These companies create benefits for people, paychecks that are recycled into communities. You can see these companies growing.” Yet, all mines have a life cycle – the Canadian landscape is littered with thousands of toxic, dead mines, and it is the end of life of the mines that has Hoefer concerned. Finding diamonds rescued the NWT economy and by extension created the fantastic opportunities for aboriginal businesses. How much longer they grow depends on continued exploration says Hoefer. The Chamber has a back of the envelope calculation that predicts a diamond mining peak in 2012, and an end of the current mines by 2025. Only new mines can change that projection. Operating a mine is one thing, but finding new mines when the economy is strong is another. It is during exploration that conflict between development and tradition is felt most strongly, and because times are so good people can become complacent. Hoefer says the health of exploration is measured in the number of small exploration companies prospecting and the number of dollars spent can obscure the number of firms in the field. A very weak 2009, the worst of the recession, saw only $46 million spent. While 2010 fared better with $99 million Hoefer is still sounding a warning bell, saying First Nations could be pricing themselves out of the game in the long run by charging large upfront fees for exploration. He says, “There are some aboriginal groups that are stymieing exploration by smaller companies. They are having some political challenges.” Hoefer also says he has heard of small exploration
companies being charged five figure sums to rent halls to host a single community meeting. It is the low number of companies exploring that has Hoefer really concerned. The more darts that are thrown at the map means the more chances to find the next big mine. “The stats show the results of major exploration projects; they hide the fact that many small projects are not happening.” There are four mines in the environmental review process right now, but in total the four new mines are projected to provide a number of jobs equal to the Diavik mine alone, which is approximately 1,000 people. It will take all four of the new mines to replace one of the current operations, one slated to reach the end of its life in the next decade and a half. Bob McLeod, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the Government of NWT, doesn’t see many big projects on the horizon either. McLeod views the lack of NWT government control over regulation and royalties as the major reason exploration is lagging. Currently mineral, oil and gas royalties are all paid to the federal government; NWT then receives a block amount of operating funds from Ottawa. Without control over the royalties, McLeod says the government of NWT has little fiscal independence or
ability to attract companies to explore. “Compared to the Yukon, which has royalties to offer exploration incentives, we just don’t have that. There is also too much land being alienated for federal parks, plus federal regulatory process is long on top of the duty to consult, which adds to the concern of corporations.” The plan is for the NWT government to improve its own regulatory regime in anticipation of devolution, which McLeod sees happening in three to five years. Trying to move beyond resource extraction to processing is something the government is pursuing by way of a cutting and polishing industry. A recently completed Diamond Policy Framework, meant to encourage the secondary diamond industry, was released by government. McLeod says it is a valuable initiative for two reasons, one being jobs linked to guaranteed access to rough diamonds and the market premium paid for diamonds that are manufactured, cut and polished in NWT. For right now McLeod happily counts the fiscal blessings of diamond mining for the people of the NWT, but admits benefits are concentrated in a few localities. Around Yellowknife jobs are available, but McLeod says in smaller communities unemployment still hovers around 50%. Northwest Territories employment statistics and the strong economy collide in a messy set of
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11IMI007_Logo Announcement Ad – B.C. 7.25” x 4.71”
Photo by Pat Kane
DIGGING DOWN continued
Helicopters, like this one, are essential to NWT economy, but are symbolic of the high costs of doing business in the far north
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ironies. The NWT is experiencing a net population loss, and the government has been criticized for spending money to attract southerners northward to fill some jobs. McLeod insists it isn’t their first choice, but despite millions of dollars spent on training, “We haven’t been able to match skill sets in smaller communities.” The reasons for high unemployment in small NWT communities remain elusive. Yellowknife is crying out for workers, but in small communities there is unease about the amount of time needed away from home to take up many mining careers. Traditional hunting and trapping is vital to many aboriginal people, yet as the economy expands, hunting and trapping are steadily becoming less viable, says McLeod. General price inflation has pushed up the cost of living and the returns from traditional harvesting have not kept up. The government subsidizes traditional pursuits, partly because they keep people fed, but alternative job creation is seen as essential. The current good numbers, at least in the territorial capital of Yellowknife, might make it hard for people to acknowledge tougher times ahead. Both 2011 and 2012 are expected to be challenging for business in NWT. In The Conference Board of Canada’s Territorial Outlook, published February 2011, the research company points out the fiscal reality of diamond mining. The global rebound in diamond demand drove 2010 results and 2011 is forecast to increase a healthy 5.6%, but 2012 will mark a mining milestone when the Diavik mine completes open pit operations. After that it will move to an entirely underground operation, which is the first sign of the end. In response the entire NWT economy is expected to shrink. Photos contributed
22 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
Det’on Cho moves up
By Bobbi-Sue Menard
A
boriginals are already pouring sweat and labour into the mining industry right across Arctic Canada. They have also seized opportunities to develop their own businesses, one very successful example being the Det’on Cho Corporation, which is the business arm of the Yellowknives Dene. Many of the 1,400 Yellowknives Dene (the T’satsaot’ine) live in Yellowknife; another 247 live in Dettah, just outside of the city. Det’on Cho was started by the Yellowknives in 1988 with a grant of $15,000 and no land claim or self government to anchor the company. Today Det’on Cho has over 800 employees (about 100 are Dene), 20 subsidiaries and annual earnings of $30 million. The diamond industry has both sustained and nearly destroyed the Det’on Cho Corporation. Contracts and support businesses for the diamond mining industry fueled growth, but a wrong call to build a diamond cutting and polishing trade almost sank the company in 2002. Current CEO Roy Erasmus Jr., a Yellowknives Dene, joined Det’on Cho in 2005, as the company was embarking on a new strategic plan just after that failure. Part of the reason is the high cost of skilled labour and overhead in the far north, but Erasmus says the industry also has inherent barriers. “Entry into
Det’on Cho works with the Naittuq company to ensure delivery of equipment aboard this Herc transport plane to the Dew line
the polished diamond industry is tough. We did not have the proper expertise and that venture was damaging to the company. Without the support of the Yellowknives Dene we would have been bankrupt. We had some cash flow, but we had to rely on help.” Regrouping kept core businesses, including camp catering, government maintenance contracts and key partnerships, solvent. The new strategic plan called for rapid growth, something the company needed says Erasmus. “When I started it was pretty quiet. We went through a wholesale staff turnover and have grown at a brisk pace. It has been a lot of fun and a lot of hard NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 23
DIGGING DOWN continued
work. We have a great team, with excellent people. You can’t develop a business without those people.” The corporate timeline shows the company grew to 11 businesses in 2008 and then 20 by 2009. One of the big challenges, says Erasmus, has been integration across those 20 businesses to create good working corporate efficiency. Det’on Cho has partnerships or complete ownership in companies in helicopter transportation, ground logistics, environmental mine reclamation, engineering, catering, geothermal energy, security, a training centre, commercial building construction, residential construction and more. “With partnerships we find the right people to do business with and that makes it easy,” explains Erasmus. He adds, “We have built an expertise on supplying services to remote sites. Our skills are exportable anywhere, we are used to operating at a distance.” Trinity Helicopters is a shining example of the Det’on Cho partnership model. Trinity was established in 2009 in partnership with three long time northerners, Rob Carroll, Kevin Lang and Geoff Furniss. The company grew quickly, despite the recession, through two separate aboriginal joint ventures. The first agreement in April 2010 was with Qillaq Innovations of Cambridge Bay to form Trinity‐Qillaq Helicopters Ltd., operating out of Nunavut. The second, announced in January 2011, was with Chief Isaac Incorporated for the development corporation of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, in Dawson City, Yukon. That will see the long term development of the only First Nation owned and operated helicopter company in the Yukon. Forward momentum is showing up in jobs and equipment. In February of this year Trinity announced that by mid April, its fleet of helicopters will double to 11, and 22 employees will operate the business out of bases in Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit.
24 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
This line of trucks, belonging to Scarlet Security, is one of 20 different companies under the Det’on Cho umbrella
“Part of our success is in doing business with aboriginal companies,” explains Erasmus. “It seems easy to do business with them; there is that common bond and shared experience. It is also helpful to know they are looking out for the land and develop their businesses in a responsible manner.” Det’on Cho has multiple partnerships with nonaboriginal businesses as well. A recent venture with engineering firm Stantec will see the company’s first engineering internship for a Det’on Cho member. In a practical move with a powerful metaphor, Det’on Cho took over a former addiction centre in Yellowknife, gained a three year commitment from the territorial government, and launched a training centre to develop and teach the skills necessary for mining and support industries. According to Erasmus, the immediate future for Det’on Cho is more of the same, which is to say the expansion of existing companies and ventures. There is tweaking to be done, more cross-corporate development and communication is a priority. From a management standpoint, Erasmus says the corporate team culture at head office is “close, which is a reflection of our careful selection of partners.” The growth of Det’on Cho and the money that flows from the diamond industry has been both good and bad admits Erasmus,” A lot more people are working – everybody that wants to work is working. There is a lot more material wealth, whereas before you wouldn’t have skidoos for hunting. That part is good, but money does change things.” Last year saw the first suspension of the annual caribou harvest due to an ongoing dwindling of herd numbers. There is only a small quota this year. The caribou’s decline has been blamed on global warming and
industrial development in the North. Det’on Cho profits are under mandate from Chief and Council to create prosperity for the Yellowknives Dene, and that includes supporting people who want to live a traditional life. Erasmus sees the inherent tension between the old and new. “In the current wage economy there is a real challenge to find ways to support the traditional economy.” He adds, “You don’t realize the effect of that tradition until you don’t have it. With the caribou, you miss it. Sure there are moose and fish, but we have relied on the caribou forever.” Traditional hunting and trapping is vital to many aboriginal people, yet as the economy expands, hunting and trapping are steadily becoming less viable, says Bob McLeod, the minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the Government of NWT. General price inflation has pushed up the cost of living and the returns from traditional harvesting have not kept up. Solutions are evasive. The government subsidizes traditional pursuits, partly because they keep people fed, but alternative job creation is seen as an essential. Companies like Det’on Cho are part of the solution, but only inasmuch that northern residents want to embrace the new lifestyles offered by new, modern firms.
Det’on Cho CEO Roy Erasmus looks over some blueprints with Business Development Manager Rick Miller
Moreover, if mining, particularly diamond mining goes into decline prosperity for companies like Det’on Cho might also shrink. True, the company is looking at strengthening their current stable of enterprises through opportunities like mine reclamation and geothermal development, but one company, no matter how well run, can provide for all the people of the NWT.
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www.saymag.com NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 25
CO LU M N
firststeps common Mistakes
Starting aBusinessonRESERVE when
M
ost First Nations people fail in their first year of business because they make mistakes that are avoidable. All startup entrepreneurs, whether native or non-native, are overcome with enthusiasm and confidence, but too often are unaware of potentially serious business oversights that lie before them. All it can take is one single mistake, one false step, and any business can be history. Here are a few of the most common: • Not picking the right business to start up • Inadequate knowledge and/or business experience
• Cash flow management (running out of money) • Lack of selling and marketing skills • Hiring of friend and/or family member
Let’s focus on that last point. One of the greatest mistakes of First Nation owned businesses is the hiring of family and/or friends. Generally, businesses are built on networking relationships. There can be a lot of time spent networking and making contacts to establish working business relationships. So a common misconception that seems like a good idea at the time is to bring into their businesses familiar people with whom they’ve already developed strong relationships. This includes family and
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26 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
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By Leslie Gabriel
friends known for a long time or business associates you may be close to, but bringing in such people comes with its own particular risks. One of the primary risks of hiring a friend or family member is the relationship itself. You first have to realize that hiring someone you already know can put the relationship with them in jeopardy. What happens if you feel that they are not doing (or cannot do) the job they were hired for? What if the job that they were hired for is costing you or your business money? The worst case is when a family and/or friend take advantage of you. In theses types of scenarios, the toughest question is would you be able to fire them to save your business? If you do fire them, will you be able to deal with the hurt feelings that will probably come afterward? These kinds of circumstances do happen and you need to ask yourself whether you can handle the potential outcome. At the very least you need to thoroughly discuss the consequences with the person you are considering to hire, but before you consider hiring that family member or friend, establish your business and friendship boundaries. Make sure both sides have a clear understanding that your working relationship and/or friendship need to be separate or your relationship to that person could end in disaster. Some of the most successful businesses have been built by friends and family. So in some cases, it can work out very well, but by asking yourself some of these questions ahead of time, you can save yourself and your family or friend a lot of grief as well as making sure both sides survive a business or breakup. Just make sure you’ve considered what they might be. Lesley Gabriel, B.B.O, is the business officer for the Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation in British Columbia. For more information on how to become an entrepreneur, or if you have questions you would like to see answered in a future column, please contact her at lgabriel@pib.ca or by calling 250-492-3154
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For Our Kids. For Our Community. For Our Future. NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 27
Adam Beach and Evan Adams, cohost of the NAAA ceremony with one of the awards presented at the 2011 show in Edmonton
28 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
entertainment
featurearticle National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
2011's
ABORIGINAL
Role Models By Racelle Kooy
T
homas Builds-the-Fire and Victor Joseph, the iconic and beloved characters from the 1998 movie Smoke Signals came to life on the stage at the Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton on March 11. Adam Beach (Victor) and Evan Adams (Thomas) reunited to host the eighteenth annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards (NAAA) and showcase the achievement of 14 outstanding aboriginal role models. Both Beach’s and Adams’ careers to date exemplify what the NAAA stand for: continued excellence, breaking barriers, pursuit of higher education and the willingness to step out of one’s comfort zone and reach for the stars. Beach is on interview circuit in the ramp up to the release of his latest leading role in a major Hollywood movie, Cowboys and Aliens. Beach adds Harrison Ford to the long list of heavy weight co-stars he has worked with. When not on set, he is in hot pursuit of his other passion, connecting and encouraging aboriginal youth. Adams still maintains his acting chops, but his days are heavily focused on applying other skills through his current role as the Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor for the British Columbian Ministry of Health Services. He is also the Director of the Division of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, UBC Department of Family Practice. The 2011 NAAA recipients represent 14 people who, through the pursuit of their personal vision, made a difference in a variety of fields such that the positive effect will be felt for many years to come. NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 29
2011 NAAA continued
National Aboriginal Achievement Awards
2011 Award recipients AWARD RECIPIENT
LOCATION
Lifetime Achievement Dr. Lillian McGregor Whitefish River First Nation, Ontario Special Youth Teyotsihstokwáthe Dakota Brant Mohawk, Ontario Arts Corrine Hunt Komoyue and Tlingit First Nations, British Columbia Business & Commerce Joseph F. Dion Kehewin Cree Nation, Alberta (see profile below) Culture, Heritage & Spirituality Annie Paingut Peterloosie Inuit, Nunavut Education Dr. Margo L. Greenwood Cree, Alberta Environment & Natural Resources Ronald Edward Sparrow Musqueam First Nation, British Columbia Health Dr. Marcia Anderson-DeCoteau Métis, Manitoba Law & Justice Roger Jones Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, Ontario Media & Communications Jean LaRose Abenaki First Nation, Quebec Politics Audrey Poitras Métis, Alberta Public Service Cindy Blackstock Gitksan Nation, British Columbia Sports Frederick G. Sasakamoose Ahtahkakoop First Nation, Saskatchewan Technology & Trades Dr. Duncan Cree Mohawks of Kahehsatake, Quebec Just hours after the curtains fell on the awards celebration, came the passing of one of its previous recipients. The 1997 NAAA Lifetime Achievement Recipient, Olive Patricia Dickason, passed away at age 91. Dickason dedicated her writing and research skills to create an accurate portrayal of aboriginal history and was author of several books which included: Canada’s First Nations: A History of Founding Peoples, The Myth of the Savage, and Indian Arts in Canada. For more information about the recipients please visit the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation at www.naaf.ca. Photos contributed Adam Beach gives a hug to one of the awards he presented at the 2011 NAAA 30 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
2011 NAAA Business and Commerce Award Recipient
JOSEPH F. DION Outspoken and politically astute throughout his career, Joseph F. Dion has been willing to take a stand to obtain maximum results for First Nations: employment, equity partnerships and recognition of aboriginal rights. A good portion of Dion’s early career was founded on political aspirations. He followed the footsteps of his father and grandfather, serving as Chief for his home community Kehewin Cree Nation in the early ‘70s. Kehewin is located some 250 km northeast of Edmonton. He went on to be elected Grand Chief of Alberta. Dion focused on treaty rights, oil and gas royalties and First Nation rights in repatriation of the Canadian constitution. After stepping away from the political scene, Dion’s shifted his efforts to economic development via natural resource extraction: oil and gas, mining, pipeline development and alternative energy. His reach extends internationally. He has worked with the Inupiat of Alaska and he is currently negotiating opportunities with Chinese investors. Dion’s influence and impact on the First Nation resource and business scene spans many decades and directly affects many aboriginal communities and business. Under his leadership as the founding Chairman and President of the Indian Resource Council of Canada, the organization established Indian Oil and Gas Canada (www.iogc-pgic.gc.ca), an agency for the Department of Indian Affairs that deals with the regulation and management of oil and gas resources on Indian lands. A proponent of a fostering economic sustainability for aboriginal businesses, Dion was also a founding member of the Canadian Council of Native Business, now known as the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (www.ccab.com). He is still recognized there as an honorary board member. Dion is currently president and CEO of the Frog Lake Energy Resources Corporation (FLERC), a company wholly owned by the Frog Lake First Nation and one that has grown steadily since its incorporation in 2003. As FLERC has grown, it has concentrated on joint venture agreements with other oil and gas companies in the area, achieving strong growth through selective acquisitions and drilling. Some of FLERC’s joint venture partners include: Buffalo Oil, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Petromin Resources and Twin Butte Energy Ltd. Dion also manages his own consultancy and investing business, Dion Resources Inc, specialising in oil and gas development, wind power, forestry development and international finance. When asked to share advice with aboriginal entrepreneurs, Dion says, “Stay small and watch your pennies while thinking big. Make your dollar grow. Don’t spend without a reason because that is one of the biggest dangers in business.” He suggests, “You make every dollar work for you, not you working for every dollar. It is a principle that needs to be mastered for any business.” For Dion, the success of community economic development hinges on clear planning supported by leadership and full buy in by the community members. Communities need to have a strong vision of where they are going. A long time supporter of the NAAA, Dion attended the first NAAA ceremony hosted in Vancouver in 1994. Two years later he served as a jurist. Now in 2011, Dion has been recognised for his outstanding achievement in business and commerce. To the NAAA recipients in-the-making, Dion states simply, “Never give up! Never stop dreaming.” NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 31
A RT & CU LT U RE
article
JACKIE TRAVERSE
Home, Pain andPassion through multiple
mediums By Darcy Nybo
J
ackie Traverse is an artist who works in all mediums from paint to sculpture, mixed media to video. Her passion is to create and speak to issues that affect her and other aboriginal women. She is well known across Canada for several reasons including her Rez Dawg Sculpture, her two metre tall Coca-Cola bottle, a sculpture at the Vancouver Olympic Centre, her paintings, and most recently her documentary style stop-motion films. Inspiration comes from her own life experiences. Traverse, now a 40-year-old mother with two daughters, grew up in poverty in the north end of Winnipeg with her father. When she was quite young her sister and a baby brother were adopted out and they weren’t alone. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, 2,500 aboriginal children were adopted outside of their home province of Manitoba. When she was 12, her mother, then 27, died of cirrhosis of the liver brought on by acute alcoholism. Her work is fueled by her desire to heal, overcome fears, and shed light on aboriginal issues. She spoke about her projects from her home in Winnipeg. “Mainly I work from my heart and I deal with some pretty tough issues. I did a dog sculpture, based on my fear of dogs as I was once attacked by one. I wanted people in downtown Winnipeg to know it was made by an aboriginal artist so I made him a beaded collar and put the name ‘Rez’ on it.” Traverse graduated from the University of Manitoba Fine Arts program in May of 2009 where she studied painting and sculpting. More recently she’s developed a talent for stop-motion video. Her first work using stop-motion animation was on missing and murdered women in Canada. Her second was ‘Two Scoops,’ which explored the intergenerational effects of the scoop of aboriginal children into the child welfare system. “I remember, I was in foster care, and when my dad got
32 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
me back my sister was gone. Then my mom had a baby boy; he was adopted out to someone in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. I don’t know where he is now.” Her third stop motion film ‘Empty,’ recently won an award for Best New Manitoba Talent at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival. The film is a tribute to her mother, and looks at how a 12-year-old girl goes through the stages of grief. “It’s about recognizing when someone is dead. At first I believed she was really on a holiday and I would see her again. When we came home after the funeral, I realized I’d left my goldfish alone for four days. He was dead and floating in the bowl. It was only then that I really cried.” Traverse created the film by doing a light drawing on paper. Then, she would add a stroke of paint, take a photograph, go back in, do another stroke, and take another photo, until the film was complete. “I decided to make this a video as there was no way for me to really tell the story through a painting, sculpture or any other art form aside from video.” Stop-motion wasn’t something Traverse was ever attracted to as an art form; however, she’s glad she was exposed to it. “Stop motion video was almost forced upon me through the Crossing Communities Art Project.
Now that I’ve experienced this type of art, I want to do more. It reaches a larger audience and I’m comfortable using it now.” Traverse is mentored under Jessica MacCormack, a Montreal-based artist. They will be applying for another grant so they can work together again. “She’s a full time professor and I’m a full time visual artist,” explains Traverse, “so things get kind of hectic, but I will be doing more of this type of video.” Her long term goal is to make a short movie and to tell more stories through animation. “I would like them to be more complex,” she says. “The ones I’ve done so far are fairly simple, the ideas I have for the future require more time and better equipment.” Traverse decided to get her video shorts into as many hands as possible. “I recently got into distribution across Canada, U.S. and Europe for Two Scoops and Empty. Whenever they are shown I get a screening fee. It would be great to make some decent money through this and then I could put it towards making more videos.” You can view Traverse’s award winning stop-motion film at lookinginspeakingout. com and you can see all of her stop motion creations at bisonpromotions.com. Click on home, feature stories, and then Jackie Traverse. Photos contributed NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 33
E N T E RTA I N M E N T
article
Making It at theManito
Ahbee Festival By Brandy Lynn
Joey Stylez accepts the award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year in 2010
M
aking a life for yourself as a singer/songwriter is referred to as “making it” in the music biz, but judging how common the term “starving artist” is, music and business are infrequent bedfellows. In addition to raw talent and hard work, it takes business savvy to make it in the music industry. And when it comes to the business of celebrating aboriginal music talent and enlightening Canada with live, fresh, emerging artists, the Manito Ahbee Festival and the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA) have put their business together. Award-winning aboriginal producer Lisa Meeches chairs the Board of Governors, with each board member heading an event committee. Events include the 34 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
Indigenous Marketplace and Trade Show, the Cultural Outreach and Education Conference, the RBC Ohshkii Awards Night, and, of course, the Red Carpet event leading into the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. Other happenings include the International Pow Wow Competition, the Hand Drum Competition, and the title of Miss Manito Ahbee. “Without the incredible sponsorship committee and the dedicated committee for volunteers, these events would never happen,” says Gloria Spence, general manager of the festival. Now launching their campaign for the 2011 APCMAs to be held in Winnipeg this November, the festival organizers have the business community more involved than ever before. With costs in the neighborhood of $2
million and over 30 sponsors ranging from the Manitoba Lotteries and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network to Travel Manitoba and the Winnipeg Arts Council, the festival has become a major event for the MTS Centre each year. “I’ve been involved in the festival since year one,” says Special Events Coordinator Derek McCorrister, “and to see how it has grown in content and support over the years is amazing.” The people’s choice concept gives the artist a sense of pride that the public appreciates their contribution to the industry, but in 2010, the festival organizers added an element of professional expertise into the mix by mixing in the industry vote. Experts in certain categories, like the graphic designers for “Best Album Cover,” have been chosen to cast votes along with the people in the first round before nominees are finalized. This takes the credibility of each category up a notch before the people’s choice votes take over in the second Actor and comedian Lorne Cardinal, host of the 2010 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, hams it up as a “rocker”
Jason Burnstick, nominee for ‘Best Folk/Acoustic CD’ in 2010 performs during the show
round. Of course music is still the heart of the festival. Past line ups have included artists ranging from the iconic Ray St. Germaine and Buffy Sainte Marie to emerging talent like the group Winnipeg’s Most, which was the 2010 winner for Best New Artist. The prestigious award handed to the winners is a figure
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MANITO AHBEE continued
Shane Yellowbird was the winner of best country CD and Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the year
Some of the hundreds of aboriginal dancers and singers who performed in full traditional costume at the opening ceremony for the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards
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holding onto the wings of a bird that, together, form the silhouette of a feather. The hope of this symbol is that emerging artists will be taken to a new level of recognition and accomplishment among the people. Shy-Anne, the People’s Choice 2010 winner of both Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year and Best Producer/Engineer, says the festival had a massive effect on her career, boosting her credibility within aboriginal and mainstream communities across North America. “Since last year’s awards I have spent as much time touring up north as the ice roads will allow and when youth see that I’m from there, and I’ve come this far, they feel they can follow their dreams too.” With visitors from all over North America and the world, the festival stands up to its tag line – “Bringing People Together.” Though the majority of last year’s votes came from Manitoba, 83% of the 2010 votes were Canadian, 13% came from the U.S., leaving the last 4% to voters in 60 other countries. Organizers invite fans to become a member of the APCMAs for free and cast their votes online at www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com between July and October. Senior Vice President and General Manager of the MTS Centre, Kevin Donnelly, says the Manito Ahbee team has emerged as a mature client and the event is definitely a high point on the MTS calendar. “It is remarkable how they surfaced with a dream in year one and their skill sets have quickly developed to create an expertly run festival and awards event.” With the supporting trade show selling out every year, business clients clamoring for more space, and performances filling up to 5,000 seats in the RBC theatre, this annual Winnipeg event has a clear marketing strategy. When you Bring People Together, the talent on stage and the business behind the scenes of the Manito Ahbee Festival continues to develop and showcase aboriginal accomplishments with international exposure at a world class level. Photos Courtesy of Manito Ahbee Festival
36 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
CO LU M N
businessdevelopment
Approaches
toSelf-Employment
“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.”
- James Matthew Barrie Mental Preparation
When you get a moment, sit down in a quiet place and think about this: Why do you want to be self-employed? What is driving you to “be the boss?” Are you ready to make a total commitment to this business? To be self-employed you have to expect to work hard to establish your business. You will need to have the full support of your family. You will have to have self-confidence and determination to make your business a success. You must be prepared to set realistic goals for yourself and stick with them until they are achieved. If you encounter a setback…turn it into an opportunity. Think positively and strive to succeed! Sit down with your family and other people who are important in your life. Explain what your plans are and how they can help you attain them. Make sure they understand the commitment you are making and that they agree to give you the support you will need.
Goals from Your Business “Define your business goals clearly so that others can see them as you do”
- George F. Burns
Take some time to quietly evaluate why you want to become
self-employed and start your own business. What are your reasons for doing this? What do you want out of it? In other words, what are your goals for going into business?
Goals must be SMART Specific: not just “I want make enough to live on.” How much is that? Set a figure! Measurable: you have to be able to know when you reach you goals. Attainable: you have to be able to actually reach the goals. Realistic: is your plan feasible - Can you attain the results you want in a specified period? Time limited: within what period of time will you achieve those goals? PERSONAL GOALS: Business is more than just making money. Here are some examples of personal goals that you might want the business to help you achieve: “To allow me to stay at home and be with my children and have a part-time business, working about 20 hours a week”; or, “To let me be independent and no longer relying on Income Assistance, by November 2012.” What are your personal goals for starting this business? FINANCIAL GOALS: Hopefully, your business will give you some financial return, or else why are you doing this? Here are some examples of the financial goals you might want from the business: “To pay off my debt of $3,000.00 by January 15,
By Bruce Lacroix
2012.”; “To pay myself $1,000.00 a month, beginning December 01, 2013”; or, “To pay myself $1,000.00 a month, beginning December 01, 2012 and set aside an extra $200.00 a month in RRSP’s by March, 2013”. What are your financial goals for starting this business? SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL GOALS: To many people, especially aboriginal people, there is more to owning a business than financial and personal goals. They also have spiritual or emotional goals to achieve. It could be to leave the world a better place, or teach others about their culture. For others, it might be to have their business reflect their strong moral and ethical values.
What are your spiritual and emotional goals for starting this business? It really helps to have your goals written down and posted somewhere where you see them every day. This helps keep you motivated, and lets you see how close you are to reaching them. Bruce Lacroix is of mixed Mi’kmak and European heritage. An accomplished speaker, writer, trainer and project manager, Bruce is responsible for the highly successful Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Skills Training (BEST) www.aboriginalbest.com Program which has helped over 1,000 Aboriginal people start and run their own business. Call 1-866352-3878 or look for the Canadian Center for Aboriginal Entrepreneurship.
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 37
BRIEF
newsflash
ABORIGINALFIRM'S Cloud-based
Technology offering
Nisha Technologies, an aboriginal supplier of computer equipment, has found a new hi-tech service to offer its biggest client, the federal government. In partnership with Geminare, a Toronto-based company, the pair are offering cloud-based data recovery services. Cloud-based means services and programs not loaded on your computer. G-mail or Google.docs are cloud based because they use programs and services that are based elsewhere, but which you access from your home or office. For commercial cloud-based data recovery systems it is a way to store data and programs from a
CCAB
reports strong Increase
The Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business reported a strong increase in membership numbers last year. The business organization says membership swelled by 75% in 2010 with many new members coming from the oil and gas, natural resource extraction, consulting, communications and community owned corporations. The CCAB's CEO, Clint Davis Breakdown of new members shows 64% were aboriginals, while 36% were companies wanting to work with aboriginals. Half came from western Canada, with the largest increases, in order of largest to smallest, from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Clint Davis, CEO of the CCAB says his organization is getting the right mix of programs and information for attracting people to its seminars, forums conferences. He says, “We’ve had fantastic attendance at our Aboriginal Business Series one day forums, and 30 aboriginal entrepreneurs joined our Aboriginal Business 38 APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE
computer or a computer network on servers that are located at a distance. This not only cuts costs for the owner, but it provides essential back-up services for companies in case of accidents. Geminare says it provides a system for data storage, back-up and retrieval that is among the fastest and most reliable available. Ottawa-based Nisha has well developed leads into the federal government, and is using Geminare’s expertise to offer a smooth service to many government departments. Says Geminaire CEO, Joshua Geist, “Nisha is extremely well positioned within the Government of Canada, and within days of executing our agreement, it received the Department of Public Works and Government Services’ approval to sell our Cloud Recovery product within the GOC sector. I’m confident that the opportunity that Nisha has created with the Canadian federal government will also open doors for Geminare, and other partners, to engage with other government sectors worldwide.”
Mentorship program in 2010.” More than 400 people attended the CCAB’s four one-day forums on land use planning, energy and the environment, mining and aboriginal relations. The CCAB received recognition for the value of its Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program from the Legislative Assembly of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. The program focuses on four aspects to developing a successful relationship with First Nations in business, including: Business Development: The commitment of resources to business relationships with Aboriginal owned businesses. Employment: The commitment of resources to achieving equitable representation of Aboriginal persons. Community Investment: The gift of resources that are provided voluntarily to an Aboriginal community or group. Community Engagement: A commitment of resources to develop or maintain constructive relations with aboriginal communities or groups. Davis says the important part of the endorsement is that this shows what the Federation wants when dealing with private businesses. This helps everyone by presenting clear goals and a measuring stick to determine the benefits and effectiveness of any given business proposal. Photo of Clint Davis contributed
7
th Annual
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Investment Strategies for a Prosperous Future
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May 16 - 18
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For details or to register, please contact Kelly: Toll Free: 1-866-535-7159 Fax: 1-866-780-2188 Email: Rodgers@GoToRegister.ca Website: www.GoToRegister.ca/Rodgers
~ Comments from previous Delegates
NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE • APRIL 2011 39
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www.peacehills.com APRIL 2011 • NATIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE To 40 discuss Peace Hills Trust Financial Services, please contact:
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