AFN National Chief says that Federal Budget is a significant step in closing the gap for First Nations

Posted on by heathersthomson

The federal budget is a significant step in closing the gap in the quality of life between First Nations peoples and Canadians and beginning the process of reconciliation, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde says.

“The budget begins to address decades of underfunding and neglect, which have perpetuated a growing gap in the quality of life between First Nations and other Canadians,” said AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde.  “This budget invests in important priorities for First Nations and all Canadians. Investments in housing, clean water, education, and child welfare will bring long-needed relief for those living in third world conditions, and build a stronger economy for everyone.”

The 2016 federal budget unveiled today is an historic $8.4 billion over 5 years in investments in Indigenous issues. It has committed to eliminate the 2% cap. It also allocates investments in First Nations Education; Infrastructure and Housing; Green Infrastructure on Reserve and clean drinking Water; First Nations child and family services; Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy; Aboriginal Languages Initiative; Health; Justice; Fishing and Environment. The federal budget also commits to engage with First Nations on a new long-term fiscal relationship.

“Creating the conditions for First Nations peoples to succeed, whether they live in the north, on reserve or in urban areas, is the best economic stimulus plan for Canada,” said National Chief Bellegarde.  “It will add billions to the economy and save billions more in social costs while creating a stronger, more just and prosperous country for us all.”

Watch the webinar: “First Nations Social Innovation and Social Finance; First Nation Access to Credit”

Posted on by heathersthomson

On Tuesday, March 22  at 1:00 pm (EDT) The Assembly of First Nations will be hosting a webinar entitled “First Nations Social Innovation and Social Finance;  First Nation Access to Credit”, with speakers from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Forrest Green, a Licensed Credit Bureau.  Highlighted are invited testimonials by partnering First Nations and First Nation financial organizations. The following have been invited: Pic River First Nation,  the Atlantic Policy Congress, Tribal Whi-Chi-Way-Win Capital Corporation (TWCC) and the Aboriginal Savings Corporation of Canada (ABSCAN)

About this Webinar:
Join us for this webinar as speakers discuss First Nation exclusion from the credit rating system, its impact on borrowing and the implications for economic development, employment, housing  and access to capital for First Nation individuals, corporations and governments.  A series of early adopters of the initiative will discuss First Nation community, political and corporate perspectives on this issue.

To join the webinar on Tuesday, March 22nd, click on the link below:
https://livestream.com/afn/fnaccesstocredit.

About the Speakers
Randy Jenkins  is a Senior Analyst with the Office of the Indian Registrar in the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.  He formally held positions as Senior Economic Analyst within the Community Infrastructure Branch and Senior Advisor within the Lands Branch where the credit initiative was first developed.

Blair McMurren is Director of Social Innovation in the Strategic and Service Policy Branch at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), where he is responsible for policy development as well as outreach and engagement related to the Government of Canada’s commitments to explore the potential of social finance.  He has recently helped to launch an Innovation Lab that will develop and test innovative solutions to policy, program, and service delivery challenges across the ESDC portfolio, in collaboration with other emerging public innovation hubs and labs.

Murray Rowe Junior is the owner and President of Forrest Green registered credit bureau that is partnered with TransUnion a Consumer Credit Reporting Agency and Dun & Bradstreet a Global Business Credit Bureau.  For over 20 years, Murray has been supporting private and public sector clients by implementing technology solutions using credit reporting agency data, secure web portals, training, eLearning, automated workflow and intelligent documents. Murray has provided expert testimony to the House of Commons and Senate on credit issues impacting Indigenous Peoples.

Invited:  
Garland Moses, a member of the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation, is employed as a Capital Housing Manager and is charged with the responsibilities of Capital and Housing responsibilities. Over the past twenty years, Garland has brought improvement to a new Water Treatment Plant which is currently extracting its water supply from ground source that is being treated with slow sand with an ozonation treatment system. In addition, Garland has assisted in the development of a new Daycare centre located in the community which is now known as Children and Family Learning Centre.  To support the overall need in wellness of the community and the surrounding area, Garland has been instrumental in the capital development of the Holistic Treatment Centre, the Biibaaban Healing Lodge. His latest support to the community infrastructure is the completion of a new office to support the Anishinabek Police Service. With the assistance of the Housing Committee support by our leadership and management team, the housing program has grown up to 160 residential units which includes a Senior Complex as well as a Six Complex which was recently completed in March 2010.  With the completion of the Six Plex, the Housing Program has completed a major part of the Ojibways of the Pic River Ten Year completion which addresses the need to construct up to forty residential units. Today, along with the Home Improvement Program, which has completed renovations to nineteen of existing residential structures, another eighteen units are currently in process and are slated for completion by the end of March 2011.  Garland was involved in the genesis of this initiative and continues to work through access to credit in the area of housing in Pic River.

John Paul is the Executive Director of the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.  Taking direction from the Atlantic Chiefs through frequent All Chiefs Forums and Executive Chiefs Meetings, Mr. Paul provides policy analysis and strategic advice on a wide range of policy issues facing First Nations in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec. The APC Secretariat’s mandate is to research, analyze and develop alternatives to federal policies affecting its member First Nation communities. Mr. Paul has a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies and received his Master of Public Administration in Financial Management from Halifax’s Dalhousie University in 1982. A dedicated advocate for First Nations, Mr. Paul has worked toward positive change for First Nations communities in diverse policy areas for more than 25 years.

Chief Shining Turtle has been the Chief of Whitefish River First Nation for 11 years and is family man with a strong desire to help his Community move forward. As an Engineer by trade, the Chief has helped his Community secure over 30-million dollars in new infrastructure funding; his drive and determination is extraordinary. Chief Shining Turtle’s education includes Bachelor of Engineering from Lakehead University, Diploma of Technology from Seneca College, a Technical Leadership Certificate from the University of Florida, and a Water Systems Supply Certificate from California State University.

Jean Vincent, is the Vice-Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat First Nation.  For the past 22 years, Chief Vincent has been the President and General Manager of the Native Commercial Credit Corporation (SOCCA), which provides commercial financing to Quebec Aboriginal-controlled businesses in the start-up or expansion phase.  He is also President and General Manager of the Aboriginal Savings Corporation of Canada (ABSCAN) offering Aboriginal peoples corporate bonds adapted to their needs; and financing in the form of secured loans in the real estate, institutional and commercial sectors. ABSCAN was incorporated on October 21, 2005 under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act to serve as a fund-gathering medium offering Aboriginal peoples control over their economic development.

Brenda Zurba is the Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Development for Tribal Wi-Chi-Way-Win Capital Corporation (TWCC), a Winnipeg-based Aboriginal Capital Corporation. She brings 17 years of experience in marketing, sales, sales management and executive leadership as well as a post-secondary education in psychology, commerce and marketing. Brenda was employed with a publicly traded, multi-billion dollar organization for more than 10 years and led a nationally specialized team that consulted with small businesses across Canada to develop their annual and semi-annual marketing strategies. Prior to joining TWCC, Brenda served as the National Sales and Marketing Director for Telpay Incorporated, where she managed customer support, marketing operations, as well as multi-channel sales of 24 million transactions worth $14 billion annually. Brenda is a designated member of the Canadian Professional Sales Association, which is a national institute that provides guidelines and professional standards in the sales and marketing profession. At the 2013 Social Enterprise World Forum in Calgary, Brenda was a speaker on the “Building Indigenous Social Enterprise” panel.

Huu-ay-aht moves forward with plans for new businesses

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With tourist season fast approaching, the Huu-ay-aht Development Corporation is focused on ensuring the new businesses the Nation purchased in January are ready to welcome guests.

The priority heading into spring is to get the turn-key businesses operational in a way that reflects Huu-ay-aht’s style, culture and values. The first step was hiring Bobby Toor as the new property manager. He will work closely with HDC’s General Manager Charlie Clappis and the existing staff to assess what is required to bring the motel and pub up to standard.

Bobby is moving to Bamfield, along with his wife and two young children. They are currently living in Vancouver, and Bobby comes from a management background, having operated a facility that encompassed sports, fitness, bar and grill.

No major construction is planned for any of the properties, but they will all get a facelift to help make them more welcoming and inviting.

“We want to be fully operational by tourism season,” explained Gary Wilson, CEO of HDC. “But we want to ensure we reflect the pride Huu-ay-aht has in its culture and traditions in all of our businesses.”

One of the first jobs Bobby will take on in his new role will be to set up infrastructure to offer administration, booking and other aspects of hospitality. This will mean exploring what technology is needed to bring the systems up to date and developing an online presence for the businesses.

This year the Group of Businesses will offer a central location for all of its bookings, in addition to online reservations. If anyone wants to stay at the motels or the Pachena Bay Campground, they will be able to visit the float house on the government dock to get all of the information they need. Bobby will be working with Esther Jackway, manager of The Market, to make sure the float house is ready in time.

Bobby and Charlie will also work with existing staff and begin the process of recruiting new people for the season. Many of the positions that will be filled for the busy season are already posted (http://hfndevelopmentlp.org/job-board/).

One of the biggest changes that residents of the area will notice is that HDC will be moving the marine fuel station float assets from Ostrom’s Marine to the Kingfisher dock.

“This is the first point of contact, so it makes sense,” Gary explained. “We already have a few competitors for fuel, so we need to consolidate the Ostrom fuel assets with our Kingfisher operations, so that we are more competitive.”

He said moving the dock will also mean there will be a small convenience store on the water, since it is already part of the fuel station. Considering HDC recently acquired the assets, Gary still does not know exactly what the small store will sell, but he believes it will likely stock items for fishers and boaters.

The Kingfisher, the Bamfield Trails Lodge (Bamfield Motel) and the pub were all determined to be structurally sound and the electrical is up to code. This means the repairs will be aesthetic ones, such as a fresh coat of paint, finishing’s, plus carvings and art from Huu-ay-hat citizens, and in the future we may incorporate a traditional house post to highlight the culture.

Gary said this is an exciting time for Huu-ay-aht First Nations. Although many of the jobs are seasonal, he pointed out that the new businesses will create many opportunities for Citizens in terms of professional development in hospitality industry.

“This is an opportunity for recruiting, training and developing Huu-ay-aht People to help us fully resource our own businesses for peak season.”

He added that these seasonal jobs will get Citizens working, and then HDC can try to find other openings for them during the slower months. Gary also hopes the new businesses will offer Citizens with experience in hospitality a reason to come home.

“We want to be in full swing by the end of March, but first comes the planning stages,” Gary said. “In the next month, HDC will be doing business and strategic planning sessions that will help create a vision for the whole organization.”

HDC also has a contest running to help them name the motel and pub. For more details, check out this link: logo name contest poster

HFN Forestry seeks feedback on stewardship plan

Posted on by heathersthomson

Huu-ah-aht Forestry Limited Partnership is required by the government to invite the public and any stakeholders to review and make comments to the HFN Forest Stewardship Plan 2016-2021 (consolidated to Amendment #4). A comment sheet has been added to the binder for your convenience. You can also comment on the HFN Group of Businesses Website at http://hfndevelopmentlp.org/hfn-forestry-lp
What is a Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP)?
In order to harvest timber on land belonging to the provincial government, known as Crown Land, HFN Forestry as the forest licensee must demonstrate to the government how they will manage the landbase, including other important values like fish habitat, water quality, biodiversity, wildlife, visual impacts, and cultural heritage resources. In this way, the FSP is very similar to a rule book.
For example, one government objective states that HFN Forestry must protect biodiversity at a cutblock level by leaving wildlife trees. So, the FSP details the definition of wildlife tree, where the wildlife trees must be left in the cutblock, and how many wildlife trees (in hectares) must be left for biodiversity.
Another government objective is for conservation, or if necessary, the protection of cultural heritage resources. The FSP states that HFN Forestry must consult with the First Nations regarding their traditional territory.
The FSP is a landscape level plan ie. prepared for a large area that includes over 12,000 hectares. Therefore, it needs to be very general in nature and not specific to a particular cutblock or even a geographic area. For administrative reasons, the FSP has been divided into three Forest Development Units (FDUs). On the map they are shown as FDU 1 (K3N-Community Forest Agreement), FDU 2 (N1A- First Nations Woodland Licence) and FDU 3 (Bamfield Huu-ay-aht Community Forest Licence).

More details are available from the following documents:

Backgrounder on HFN Stewardship Plan 2016-2021

HFN Forest Stewardship Plan 2016-2021

Map of HFN Forest Stewardship Plan

For questions or additional information please contact: Donna Underwood, RPF 250-586-0200 ext 206 or dunderwood@meridianforest.ca.

Huu-ay-aht Development Corporation says farewell to Stan Coleman

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It was a time of celebration and sadness that the Huu-ay-aht Development Corporation bids farewell to its outgoing Chief Executive Officer Stan Coleman. Stan informed the HDC board last year that he would not be renewing his contract when it expired in January 2016. The board has since named Gary Wilson as his successor.

Stan will be missed by the staff at HDC, the board and Huu-ay-aht First Nations as a whole. He began working for the Nation in 2011 and served five years as HDC’s CEO. In that time, he took the organization from a small forestry operation employing approximately 15 people to what it is today, with more than 50 employees.

It has since grown from a forestry-based operation to one that has many businesses and responsibilities. This includes the Pachena Campground, The Market, Forestry, Fisheries, Gravel and, now, the new businesses purchased by Huu-ay-aht in Bamfield, a deal which Stan helped move forward. Although his contact continues until the end of January, HDC staff and board members hosted a going-away party for Stan at Chances RimRock Casino on January 13. Approximately 55 people attended, including staff, members of the board, representatives from Huu-ay-aht First Nations and business partners and contractors.

stans gift

“It was a chance to recognize what he created,” explained Tracy Walker, Executive Assistant at the group of businesses, “he made such an impact on everyone.” “He has a level of integrity that few could match”, said Martha Johnson, Accounting Assistant at the group of businesses, adding that they organized the party as a way of showing their appreciation for all that Stan has offered them, especially the staff. “We appreciate how far he would go for us,” Martha explained. “He has such dedication, and he has an eye for seeing potential in employees and fostering that. He is a great mentor.”

She added that, during his time at HDC, Stan also brought in many outside contacts that have served to be extremely important in the operation of their businesses.

“Stan has been uniquely committed to the Huu-ay-aht First Nations and the group of businesses over the years” said Angela Wesley, Board Chair. “He has not only been our CEO, he has become part of the Huu-ay-aht family, and although he has decided not to extend his contract, we know that Stan will never be far away and will continue to help us as we move forward”. At the party, the staff and board showed their appreciation to Stan by presenting him with a very unique gift. “The board, management team and staff will treasure Stan’s strong vision and commitment to leadership. The piece represents the wealth of knowledge and guiding light Stan has brought to the organization,” Martha said of the art designed for the outgoing CEO.

The vision for the piece was a collaboration of ideas, from Martha and Tracy it also involved local artist Kelly Poirier and her team at White Raven Consulting, as well as Todd Robinson of Cascadia Glass Studios. The piece is a smaller rendition of art that is showcased at the Richmond oval, called the “Chiefs Treasure Box”. It is made of red and yellow cedar, etched glass and LED lights. It is a contemporary version of a traditional hupakwanum of the Nuu-chah-nulth People. Hupakwanum is the tangible embodiment of treasure.

“The wolf paw represents the creation of the Huu-ay-aht Development Corporation, and Stan’s instrumental involvement in bringing HDC into fruition,” Martha said. “The landscape represents our land and resources, and Stan’s extensive background in the forest industry. Finally, the hammer stamp signifies the first Treaty Settlement Land cut block harvested under treaty.”