Aboriginal Business Symposium Deemed A Success
Friday, January 26, 2007 at 18:06
The country’s first-ever aboriginal business symposium is now in the books and many who attended the event are labeling it a success.
Lawrence Joseph, Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says he hopes the government paid close attention to the words of aboriginal people at the event.
Joseph says first nations are tired of endless meetings and public campaigns too.
He says they want to pull up to Canada’s economic table so they can engage as full partners.
Meantime Anne Noonan, an Ojibwa business woman from Ontario, says more aboriginal workers need to post their resumes on the internet.
Noonan says Corporate Canada is doing much of its hiring on-line these days, and too many eligible aboriginal workers are falling through the cracks.
She adds broadband service is found in much of small-town Canada while many reserves still have to do without.
She stresses the Canadian government should move quickly to fix this problem.
Meantime, a financial expert with the Navajo nation in Arizona says it’s important for Canadian first nations to realize that economic development is a political problem.
Dr. Manley Begay says many bands have generous resources but too few rules to guide them.
He says new councils get voted in and immediately revert back to the practices that got the former leaders voted out.
He says some American bands have erased poverty on their reserves by creating governance structures that can’t be subverted by individual people.
Begay adds clear governance rules are important so residents know they have a capable government behind them when they take action.