"Today is a time of economic rebirth for Aboriginal people in Canada. The federal government has committed billions of dollars to Aboriginal business initiatives, and courts are actively settling a range of claims. Innovative business models, new forms of property, and daring ventures and partnerships flourish across Canada, with many more planned. [...] Contributors include experienced practitioners and foremost academics of Aboriginal law from Canada and the United States.
"What we have established in this paper is that the economic state of Canada's first peoples today is deplorable, that the costs of the status quo to the public purse are high and rising, and that any costs incurred by the federal government in addressing these problems are a lot more affordable today than was the case just a few years ago. We have also provided a brief outline of the economic strategy recommended by RCAP."
"An Aboriginal workers' co-operative in Winnipeg, Neechi Foods, has developed a series of community economic development (CED) principles that seem to offer a much more comprehensive view of "sustainability." A view that could readily encompass the resource focused definition, but which clearly goes beyond it. This approach to sustainability was developed specifically to address urban economic development, but it could easily be adapted for remote and rural economies too. These principles have been refined over time, through discussion and debate, and now number eleven in total.
"This study explores the question: how can Aboriginal communities foster a supportive climate for Aboriginal entrepreneurs and business start-up? The literature review finds a high degree of compatibility between the characteristics and strategies of community economic development and Aboriginal economic development. The unique aspects of Aboriginal economic development are further examined, including the history of Aboriginal communities, challenges faced, the importance of long-term approaches, cultural issues that impact Aboriginal economic development, and critical success factors.
"This study examines the historical development of corporate governance structures in First Nations communities in British Columbia, where development corporations are employed to assist privately-owned and community-owned entrepreneurial enterprises. First Nations entrepreneurial activity functions in an environment where business must market to a global economy while preserving traditional values, beliefs and other cultural elements. A brief history of First Nations and their enterprise development efforts is presented.
"Aboriginal communities are increasingly turning toward aboriginal tourism development to diversify their economic base, validate their claims related to proprietary rights over traditional lands and re-connect youth with elders and the community to their land and their culture. Oftentimes, these development initiatives are tied to broader community development goals, yet the success of the tourism project is generally measured by its market readiness, revenue generation and job creation.
"Again last year, the United Nations related Canada the best country in the world to live in. This assessment is based upon a country's Human Development Index. Even so, not everyone in Canada enjoys the advantages of living in a highly developed country. In November 1996 the Canadian government published the four-thousand-page, $58 million Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP 1996), a report that reviewed and made recommendations about a wide range of social and economic issues related to Canada's Aboriginal peoples.
"Aboriginal economic development” differs from other forms of development by emphasizing aboriginal values and community involvement. Joint ventures, while providing business advantages, may not be able to contribute to aboriginal economic development. This paper examines two joint ventures in the interior of British Columbia to examine their ability or inability to contribute the extra dimensions of development desired by aboriginal communities.
International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal
Year of publication:
2011
"This paper compares the portrait of forestry entrepreneurs within the Ilnu community of Mashteuiatsh to one of non-Aboriginal forestry entrepreneurs. The information was mainly collected using a survey in the winter of 2008 for the Aboriginal group and in the winter of 2007 for the non-Aboriginal group. Interviews were also conducted in situ with the Aboriginal forestry entrepreneurs, their principal clients, the Band Council (or local government) and the local economic development organisation.
"This thesis analyzes the influence of Aboriginal traditional values on Aboriginal economic activities and explores the possibilities of an alternative development of Canadian Aboriginal society. It argues that alternative Aboriginal development is possible in a way that emphasizes various social relations.
