Inuit

"This case study uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine Inuit and First Nations perspectives and initiatives to foster sustainable entrepreneurship and economic development related to the forthcoming Mackenzie Gas Pipeline in Canada's Northwest Territories. The 1,220-kilometer pipeline will connect the Mackenzie Delta to the Alberta Oil Sands and North American markets. These findings will be of interest to business, government and Indigenous leaders involved in resource development.

"This strategic plan was developed with the view to establish broad long-term priorities relating to Aboriginal economic development which will guide the work and activities of the NAEDB and its Secretariat over the three year period (2012-15). These priorities will be linked to relevant objectives which will assist the federal government’s work to address the gaps between First Nation, Inuit and Métis, and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
For 2012-15, the NAEDB has identified the following long-term priorities:
1. Addressing Barriers to Aboriginal Economic Development

"The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report is the first comprehensive document of its kind to assemble indicators and establish benchmarks to measure the social and economic well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. It focuses on the key indicators and measures that best align with the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development.The Benchmarking Report project was developed by the NAEDB over a four year period beginning in 2008-09. It synthesizes a substantial body of research and analysis undertaken at the direction of the NAEDB."

"First Nations should be looking at opportunities to participate in renewable energy development at the local, regional, and provincial levels. This Summary Guide is the first step to assist the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick communities to become more familiar with the various renewable energy technologies, and to look at the range of opportunities that are possible."

It is a vast understatement to say that the current state of social and economic development within Aboriginal and First Nation communities is far from satisfactory. A recent study1 of the Aboriginal economic gap in Saskatchewan, for example, demonstrated that, compared to the non-Aboriginal community, Aboriginal people experience higher poverty rates, lower education levels, and chronic unemployment.

This paper is part of a larger research study on the Aboriginal co-operative movement (A Reporton Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada: Current Situation and Potential for Growth). The study was initiated by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and le Conseil Canadian de la coopération (CCC). The objective of the study was to build knowledge and awareness about the current state and contributions of Aboriginal co-operatives to regional and community development. The present paper has been developed as a background paper for the complete study.

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) has launched the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Cooperative Development Program to help Aboriginal communities explore the potential of co-operatives to meet their needs. The five-year pilot program is being developed in consultation with national Aboriginal organizations and the program’s steering committee will be composed of representatives of co-operative and national Aboriginal organizations. It is sponsored by Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.

There are more than 9,000 co-ops in Canada, and about 100 of them are owned and controlled by First Nations, Métis or Inuit people.

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) has created the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Co-operative Development Program to help Aboriginal communities explore the potential of co-operatives to meet their needs. The five-year pilot program was developed in collaboration with national Aboriginal organizations.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), formerly Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, is the national voice of 55,000 Inuit living in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), land claims regions. Inuit call this vast region Inuit Nunangat.