National Chief Urges First Nations to Partner More with Private Business

National chief urges First Nations to partner more with private business

Canadian Aboriginals should look to partner more with private and corporate business in order to become more independent from government and more successful, says the national chief for the Assembly of First Nations.

Speaking at an economic development conference organized by the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs, Chief Phil Fontaine told the crowd of over 300 First Nations people from across the region who are gathered at the Delta this week that the time to move forward in business is now.

“In the next year or so there will be an investment of $200-300 million made in Canada — and much of this will be in First Nations lands and in our traditional territory,” Fontaine said.

“This represents tremendous opportunities.”

This might be a new concept to many Aboriginals, who have not branched out to the private and corporate sectors to expand their business, he said.
But with so much development on the verge of beginning on First Nations lands, Canadian Aboriginals should look boldly to the future.

“We need to act together — we need to move urgently,” Fontaine said. “There are risks involved in every decision but we shouldn’t be afraid of moving into new territory.”

He pointed to several hugely successful First Nations communities, such as in Millbrook, Nova Scotia, who have partnered with private businesses to develop the area and their economic outlook.

The Millbrook band recently signed a deal to invest in developing a container terminal, rail intermodal facility and logistics park at Melford, Guysborough County, on the Strait of Canso. The Millbrook First Nation is also a major partner of General Dynamics in the winning bid to replace the Canadian military’s aging fleet of Sea King helicopters.

P.E.I.’s Lennox Island Band Chief Darlene Bernard said she sees many business opportunities for First Nations Islanders to work with private businesses on P.E.I.

“We certainly have the Canada-P.E.I.-Mi’kmaq partnership agreement with the province and federal government, and I think that lines us up to start and marketing our skilled labour force.”

There are already a number of Aboriginal businesses on P.E.I. looking to start the kinds of partnerships that Fontaine spoke of, said Abegweit Band Chief Brian Francis.
One company is looking to set up an online cultural sensitivity training course for private companies in their business or customer service ventures. Labour market development has already been on the agenda in many meetings, Bernard said.

“The First Nations on P.E.I. are organized now,” she said. “We’re open for business — and if businesses on P.E.I. are interested we’ll be happy to sit down and see what kind of partnerships develop from that.”