October 2008

Nikan
October 2008
Volume 7
Issue 3
www.cdepnql.org
CEDO’S Path
FIRST NATIONS OF QUEBEC AND LABRADOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (FNQLEDC)
Summary
Final Reflection Meeting
with the Department
of Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada (INAC) .....2
2007-2008 General Assembly
From the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations
in Wendake
The Second First Nations
Entrepreneurial Forum
was also a success! .........3
Michel Sioui
artisanat indien ..............4
The Activities of the
FNQLSDI ........................5
Winners of the 2008
First Nations Prize ...........5
The First Nations Solidarity Forestry Cooperative
(FNSFC) is Completing
its First Year ...................6
On September 24th, for the first time ever since its creation, the Annual
General Assembly of the FNQLEDC took place in a Quebec First
Nations community, more precisely at the Hôtel-Musée Premières
Nations in Wendake. This initiative of the FNQLEDC will be repeated
over the next two years, when the Community Economic Development
Agents (CEDA) of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador are
convened alternately to Mashteuiatsh (2009) and to Gespeg (2010).
The objective of this undertaking is to create an economic impact in a
native community, rather than in the Quebec civil society.
Nineteen CEDAs took part in the Assembly. With the attendance of
fourtheen additional observers, we can say that the participation at
this 7th General Assembly of the FNQLEDC was significant.
Follow-up of page 1
of the meeting took on a swift pace and the participants could exchange views on
various topical subjects of their community and voice their general viewpoint on the
FNQLEDC.
In regards to the elections, the constitution of the Executive Committee was once
again affected by modifications. Mr. Sidney Orr is now acting as the new President,
Ms Marie-Lise Bastien was appointed as Vice-President and Ms Madeleine Paul will
continue to act in the capacity of secretary-treasurer. The FNQLEDC’s Board of
Directors is illutrated below; note the arrival of Mr. Paul Gosselin (Abenaki Nation),
Marie-Lise Bastien (Micmac Nation) and Maxime Vollant (Innu Nation).
The Executive Committee : Madeleine Paul,
Sidney Orr and Marie-Lise Bastien.
Added to the traditional aspects of the
General Assembly, such as the presentation of the financial statements and the
general orientations, the FNQLEDC pursued its efforts to reduce the costs of its
annual report, by producing it under an
electronic version only. A graphic presentation was also added to facilitate the
comprehension of the financial statements, as outlined by the auditor. Since
the agenda of the Assembly did not include any special elements, the course
Nation
Abenaki
Algonquin
Atikamekw
Cree
Huronne-wendat
Innu
Inuit
Maliseet
Micmac
Mohawk
Naskapi
Representative
Paul Gosselin
Madeleine Paul
Raoul Flamand
Sydney Orr
Benoît Sioui
Maxime Vollant
Vacant seat
Vacant seat
Marie-Lise Bastien
Mary Simon
Vacant seat
Term of Office
2008-2010
2007-2009
2007-2009
2007-2009
2006-2008
2008-2010
2006-2008
2006-2008
2007-2009
2007-2009
2006-2008
Final Reflection Meeting with the Department
of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
The FNQLEDC took advantage of the opportunity to convene its members a day
earlier to discuss the outcome achieved by
the working committee created last March,
to follow-up on the progress and to bring
its viewpoint on the elaboration of the
federal government’s New Aboriginal Economic Development Framework. The main
objective of course is that the framework
reflects the reality of the First Nations.
It should be noted that this reflection
process was initiated in October 2007, at
which time the FNQLEDC was meeting
with the assistant deputy-minister of the
Aboriginal Economic Development, John
McKennirey, and raised the idea of a discussion process with the CEDAs during an
eventual revision of INAC’s Programs. The
idea finally materialized and subsequent
to the presentation of the federal budget
which included an envelope of $70M over
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a two-year period for the elaboration of an
economic development framework, a first
reflection meeting with INAC took place in
March 2008. This meeting gave way to the
creation of a working committee, whose
objective was mentioned previously, and
which met on two occasions, more precisely in May and June 2008.
The process culminated in the September 23rd meeting, where the eleven (11)
courses of actions of the Working Committee were slightly improved and ratified by
all the CEDAs in attendance. These actions
are available in the Members section of the
FNQLEDC Website: www.cdepnql.org.
The FNQLEDC will pursue its efforts on
this file in the upcoming months. First, we
will make sure that a final report of these
recommendations is submitted to INAC
and to the CEDAs. A close follow-up will
then be made so that the CEDAs are provided with information sessions, as soon as
the Economic Development Framework is
made available.
The Second First Nations Entrepreneurial
Forum was also a success!
In Val-d’Or, the second First Nations Entrepreneurial Forum turned
out to be quite a success with the attendance of 90 participants
who came from all over the region. The Forum helped gather
the last elements required for the establishment of a First Nations
of Quebec Entrepreneurial Partnership and Business Network
(FNQEPBN).
Designed on the same pattern as the first edition held in Quebec,
this second edition held in June was primarily planned to facilitate
the traveling of entrepreneurs from the Algonquin and the Cree
nations, and to promote their participation in discussions on
the creation of this business network. There was a good turnout and the growing attendance shows the definite interest of
entrepreneurs for this initiative. It should be noted that the main
objective of these two forums is to make it so that the FNQEPBN
is a viable and pertinent tool for First Nations entrepreneurs.
Likewise in Quebec, the Forum of Val-d’Or gathered entrepreneurs,
First Nations economic development representatives, leaders of
various organizations of services to entrepreneurs and government
participants, and also First Nations high school students (Lac Simon)
as well as university students (UQAT) who greatly appreciated this
concrete contact with the concept of entrepreneurship. What a
nice way to ensure a take-over!
In regards to the unfolding of the meeting, the formula was slightly
modified, by replacing the banquet by a « Meet and Greet » event,
by providing a greater space to entrepreneurial speakers, and by
continuing the diversification of official speeches, conferences and
discussion workshops.
Sidney Orr and Pierre Bastien, respectively Vice-President and
General Director of the FNQLEDC opened the discussions.
Subsequently, each speaker, all animated with the idea of
partnership, brought an element of interest to the audience.
Rachelle Bretz, from the Eeyou Economic Group, as well as Guy
Trépanier, from the Société de développement du Témiscamingue,
provided the entrepreneurs with an excellent overview of the
services they can offer. Balgovind Pande, a representative from
Lynx Mobility, proved that a successful collaboration between
First Nations and non-Aboriginals is possible. Finally, the
entrepreneurs who were willing to give a presentation on their
progression, namely Wayne Odjick (Anishinabe Printing), Mike
Beaupré (Beaupré Martial Arts / Latchford Paintball) and Albert
Diamond (Air Creebec), were able to motivate and inspire the
participants in going into business, while sharing their experience
in overcoming obstacles.
On two occasions during the day, the participants were gathered
into groups to voice their opinions on the services and the
activities outlined during the conferences, and which were of
interest to them, as entrepreneurs. They also took advantage of
these opportunities to call to mind their vision and expectations
towards the FNQEPBN. To conclude, we wish to extend our
gratitude to the financial partners and sponsors who sustained the
organization of this event: the Department of Indian and Northern
Affairs Canada (INAC), Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC), the
Department of Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de
l’Exportation (MDEIE) and the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones
(SAA), the Commission de la construction du Québec, HydroQuébec, Rexforêt, RBC Royal Bank, the Native Benefits Plan
(NBP), Investissement Premières Nations du Québec and Gaston
St-Pierre et associés.
The Entrepreneurial Forum concluded with a « Meet and Greet »
event which allowed the entrepreneurs to share views on their
session and on their personal experience. The day ended with the
drawing of door prizes. A big thank you to our sponsors, Grassy
Lake Outfitters and Raquettes GV for allowing us to thank our
participants with prizes!
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Michel Sioui artisanat indien:
A Business Capable of Taking
up Challenges!
sioui.michel002@sympatico.ca
Michel Siou and Réjean-Gros-Louis (CEDA)
Michel Sioui may be the tailor of his handicraft store since 1981, but we need to go
back in time to discover the source of his
passion for this trade. His father, AlbertMichel, also a tailor, went into business
in 1937 and opened up a handicraft store
within the family home, which he named
Kabir Kouba : “Each family member lend a
hand for the success of the business, this is
how I started to get training …” confided
Michel. When time came to find someone
to take over the management of his business, Albert-Michel turned to his oldest son
Marcel. So, Michel continued to improve
his skills by working for Kabir Kouba during almost 25 years.
Most probably inspired and motivated by
his entrepreneurial father, Michel also had
the urge to start up his own business: “the
objective was to create a range of products to complement those of Kabir Kouba,
preferring at the same time, a smaller scale
production. Also, I wanted mostly to work
with leather, while the family enterprise
was working mostly with fur”. The Michel
Sioui artisanat indien shop came into being
in 1978 and Michel continued to inspire
himself from his family past, by deciding
that the conception of his products would
be done straight from his domicile. Right
at the outset, the business quickly distinguished itself, thanks to the quality and
the authenticity of its products, including
among others, moccasins, dolls and handbags. Three operations are made directly at
the workshop: the cutting, the sewing and
the finishing of products. The pleating and
the beading processes are made by outside
employees: “To find artisans to do the traditional technique of pleating remains quite
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a challenge, because the know-how is less
and less transmitted between the generations” mentions Michel.
Even without signs identifying the boutique and very little marketing, the sales
of Michel Sioui artisanat indien have been
in constant progression. The business has
an excellent reputation with its clientele,
including among others, museums, airport
shops and tourism centers, which “often
make purchases without seeing the product”. Yet, everything was not all roses.
In 1992, a great hardship was in store
for Michel Sioui. Craftsman in the soul,
much more than administrator, he spent
little time calculating the actual cost price
of his handicraft products. At one point,
he realized that, for quite some time, he
was losing money on each article he was
selling. The survival of his business was
at stake. Michel reacted quickly to correct this error, by asking the support of
the Economic Development Officer at the
Conseil de la Nation huronne-wendat,
Réjean-Gros-Louis. “We restructured the
administration (orders, accounts receivable,
etc.) and the computing system (accounting, leather measuring software, etc.) in
order to simplify the management of the
enterprise. The Centre de développement
de formation et main-d’œuvre (CDFM) de
Wendake also got involved in this project,
by providing the necessary training to Mr.
Sioui and his employees.” indicates Réjean.
One year after this misadventure, Michel
Sioui artisanat indien gets off to a good
start and the upturn coincides with the arrival of Nicole in Michel’s life. Added to the
fact that they complement each other, they
quickly realize that Nicole’s managerial
skills facilitate the implementation of the
new administrative structure and ensure a
definite equilibrium between the creative
and the managerial aspects.
Actually, Michel Sioui artisanat indien employs eight persons and is getting ready
for a very busy autumn for the production
of moccasins. Business started up again
with renewed vigor, so much so that, since
1999, the enterprise has been using the services of two representatives to market their
products on a national scale. Large-scale
projects are in sight, and several orders
have been placed in link with the 2010
Vancouver Olympic Games!
When analyzing the situation he lived
through in 1992, Michel recommends to
the artisans to not neglect the management of their enterprise, but underlines
that the administrative restructuring was
not the only reason for their survival.
Mutual aid is also a major factor: “During
this period of uncertainty, my employees
never let us down, and they even worked
without a salary during a certain time.
I will be forever grateful to them.” confided Michel. Aside from this internal
support, Michel emphasizes also the support that came from the community of
Wendake. He mentions among others,
the helpfulness of the hunters who bring
him moose hair (an important item for the
finishing touch) or the solidarity between
the artisans of the community. “It is not
rare that we refer an artisan colleague to
a client who wants an item that we do
not produce. Between us, cooperation
prevails over trading at all cost!” affirms
Michel.
Winners of the 2008
First Nations Prize
The Activities of the FNQLSDI
Working document: The Occupation of Forest Land in Quebec
and the Constitution of Forest Management Corporations
To follow up on the Quebec government’s Green Paper and the comments and briefs
tabled by various organizations of the civil society and the First Nations, the Quebec
government produced a new working document, called: “The Occupation of Forest
Land in Quebec and the Constitution of Forest Management Corporation.”.
Following are important elements of this document to be taken into consideration:
A crowd of some 800 people witnessed
the unveiling of the finalists of the Quebec
Entrepreneurship Contest, on June 19
2008. 58 prizes were shared out between
the award winners, for a grand total of
close to $300,000 in bursaries. The two
First Nations prizes were awarded into two
amounts of $5,000 each.
• More responsibilities to the regions;
• The constitution of forest management corporations
(with the possible involvement of the First Nations);
• The zoning (protected areas, intensive management and ecosystem management);
• The right of first holder and auction (abolition of the timber supply and forest
management agreements TSFMA);
• The sylviculture investment fund;
• The Timber marketing office (Le bureau de mise en marché des bois).
Parliamentary Commissions are currently in progress and are expected to conclude by
the end of October. The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL)
will be presenting its position on October 22 2008. Several First Nations will table their
positions before the Parliamentary Commission or directly to the minister. The new
Quebec Forest Regime will become effective in April 2013.
Plan North
The Quebec government is planning to develop the Far North over the next few years.
According to this government, the future economic development of the province will
be going through the North. At the June 2008 Chiefs’ Assembly, Premier Jean Charest
and the minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Benoît Pelletier, came to inform the Chiefs of
this plan and to hear out comments.
The North is a sector that is almost intact and unexplored by economic development,
and great possibilities are anticipated for many First Nations communities. The economic
sectors that are the most affected by this plan, are the sectors of mining, tourism and
energy. Also, a large-scale road network will be built. The Upper North Shore and the
regions north of Abitibi-Témiscamingue will greatly benefit from this plan.
According to several environmental groups, it is important to protect without delay, 50%
of the northern area, before undertaking any economic development projects. This way,
it will be easier to identify the sectors that need to be protected, comparatively to the time
where economic rights will have been granted on the whole of the territory.
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Between 2001 and 2026, how many youths of
the First Nations will be of age to enter the labour
market in Canada?
a) 200 000
b) 400 000
c) 600 000
d) 800 000
Pierre Bastien
(FNQLEDC),
Kathy Robertson
and Claude
Robertson.
Lorraine
Brouillette
(INAC), Carol
Metallic and
Pierre Bastien
(FNQLEDC).
One of the winners was Auberge Maison Robertson (www.aubergemaisonrobertson.ca),
a tourist bed and breakfast situated in
Mashteuiatsh and managed by Claude and
Kathy Robertson. First Nations Memorials
(www.firstnationmemorial.com), property of Carol Metallic, an on-line business
which preserves the heritage of First Nations People, was the other winner of the
First Nations Prize. Congratulations to the
two winners!
It should be noted that the First Nations
Award is an initiative of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic
Development Commission (FNQLEDC),
whose existence is made possible, thanks
to a financial contribution from the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones (SAA) and
the Department of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development Canada (INAC).
*Answer on page 6
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Answer
The answer is c) 600 000. This statistic is only one of many others showing the challenges that are facing the First Nations in
the upcoming years in the area of economic development. The report of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples,
Sharing Canada’s Prosperity – Hand Up, Not a Handout, outlined several persistent obstacles to the economic development of the
First Nations.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The
The
The
The
The
The
The
incapacity to access capital;
legislative and regulatory obstacles;
limited access to lands and resources;
human-capital deficits;
lack of governance capacity;
federal approach to the fragmented economic development;
limited federal financing.
These facts prompted the federal government to renew its national strategy for aboriginal economic development, which dated back
to 1989. Effectively, before the end of 2008, a New Federal Aboriginal Economic Development Framework will be implemented.
The First Nations Solidarity Forestry Cooperative
(FNSFC) is Completing its First Year
The FNSFC, which embarked in its first year of existence last spring, following an agreement
with Foresterie D.L.M. regarding a project at Chute-des-passes, will be completing its operations
for the year 2008, in the next few weeks. The FNSFC confirmed its intentions of pursuing with
its activities next year.
First Nations of Quebec and Labrador
Economic Development Commission
250, Place Michel-Laveau, suite 101
Wendake, Quebec G0A 4V0
On the other hand, the coordinator of the FNQLEDC forestry projects, Rémy Vincent, will
pursue his tour of the First Nations communities in the next few months in order to complete
the partnership study which will serve as reference tool and data bank for the FNSFC. He
expects to be traveling to the Innu communities of Unamen Shipu and Pakua Shipi.
Telephone : 418 843-1488
Fax : 418 843-6672
E-mail: information@cdepnql.org
Internet: www.cdepnql.org
Graphic design: Siamois graphisme
WARNING ON PROTECTION AND
CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION
The information contained
in this newsletter is protected in
accordance with the applicable laws and
regulations. It is therefore prohibited
to distribute or to copy any part
of this document without the written
permission of the FNQLEDC.
Legal deposit – National
Library of Canada, 2004
Legal deposit – Bibliothèque
nationale du Québec, 2004
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Place Jacques-Cartier Complex
Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones
320, St.Joseph Street East, Room 400
905, avenue Honoré-Mercier, 1er étage
Quebec (Quebec) G1K 9J2
Québec (Québec) G1R 5M6
Telephone: 1 800 567-9604
Telephone : 418 643-3166
Fax: 1 866 817-3977
E-mail: infopubs@ainc-inac.gc.ca
Fax : 418 646-4918