British Columbia

The Small Town P.R. Playbook is a fun, accessible tool that has been specifically designed for local government and First nations community administrators who aren’t professional communicators, but are faced with these issues and challenges every day. The Playbook showcases the innovative work underway in small communities across British Columbia.

“Situated in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, the Osoyoos Indian Band has a strong vision for its future, which it is realizing through initiatives in agriculture, eco-tourism, and commercial, industrial and residential developments. The combination of rich agricultural land and desert tracts provides ideal conditions for many of the Band's businesses, most notably their vineyards and winery.”

“Deanna Johnson, an Aboriginal woman living in Chilliwack, British Columbia, has proven that women can succeed in the construction world. Through her business, Nations Construction & Consulting, she builds quality homes for First Nations people and inspires her community.”

“The central issue addressed in this paper is whether the numerous resource and revenue sharing agreements recently concluded between First Nations and the province are likely to be of lasting social, economic and environmental benefit. If they are not, and if successfully concluded treaties remain a long way off, are there things the province could do now to re-define how it shares forest resources and revenues with First Nations in a way that is more meaningful, equitable and just?”

“The Commentary discusses three institutional and policy differences between British Columbia and other provinces that may explain its superior outcomes: i) more comprehensive and regular monitoring of Aboriginal student performance in the core competencies of reading, writing and mathematics; ii) incentives for provincial school districts to innovate and consult with local Aboriginal leaders; and iii) the encompassing nature of First Nation institutions providing secondary services to reserve schools.”

“There exist very large gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal student performance in most B.C. schools. However, Aboriginal students in some school districts perform remarkably well. What are these districts doing right? The authors draw lessons that may well apply across Canada.”

"The Coast Salish Gathering provides an environmental policy platform for the tribal and First Nations governments, state and provincial governments, and the US and Canadian federal governments—all of which have interests in the Salish Sea region—to discuss and determine effective environmental strategies and practices. Most important for the Coast Salish people, however, it amplifies their voice on the environmental issues that matter most to them: access to toxin-free traditional foods, adequate water quality and quantity, and collective climate change policies."