Volume 12, Number 1, Fall 2020

EN:

Canada's history features many commercial compacts, agreements, and treaties marking the evolution of the relations between Indigenous Peoples and Settlers. The treaties negotiated between 1850 and 1921 comprised three main elements: the allocation of land for the exclusive use of the signatory First Nations; preservation of hunting and fishing rights; and an individual annuity paid to each band member, plus a one-time payment made to the band. The individual annuity was minimal, even in the later 19th century, and has remained unchanged since 1878. This paper explores the rationale, design, implementation, and cost of a Modern Annuity as the concrete measure for reconciliation, acknowledging the value of the land ceded to Canada by the Indigenous peoples.

EN:

This project, titled "Building Better Together: Exploring Indigenous Economic Development in New Brunswick", sought to ask: What does Indigenous economic development mean to Indigenous Peoples living in New Brunswick? In doing so, it attempts to identify obstacles, opportunities, and priorities to achieve these development goals. With support from an Indigenous Research Capacity and Reconciliation Connection Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), this project brought together 130 frontline representatives from Indigenous communities, organizations, and businesses with those from academia and relevant provincial and federal departments for a Mawi'omi (meaning 'gathering' in Mi'kmaq) in May 2019 to explore these questions.

In large part, this initiative validates previous research on Indigenous economic development specifically, and Indigenous development more broadly. A majority of the participants identified that self-sufficiency and self-sustainability for Indigenous communities were the most important factors for successful community development, with long-term stability the second most important factor. Three factors were tied for third: revitalizing language and culture, providing employment and training opportunities to members, and improving community wellness and cohesion. Key priorities for economic development were the creation of employment opportunities and the development of workforce skills, as well as the development of lands and infrastructure for economic development, while key opportunities were the cannabis, tourism, natural resources, and renewable resource sector. And finally, key challenges to the pursuit of Indigenous economic development were financing, human resources, and social issues. Throughout the event, participants also emphasized the need for more meaningful and respectful relations with government and the private sector.

Resulting from this research, several recommendations were identified that support the findings above. These recommendations target three main groups: to SSHRC, continue to offer annual grants specifically for Indigenous communities and organizations, to support the creation of diverse research products relating to Indigenous economic development, and to create or support a platform to share information and resources relating to Indigenous economic development; to the federal government, increase funding for economic development for First Nation communities and Indigenous organizations; to the provincial government, create a task force to increase the inclusion of First Nation communities and Indigenous Peoples in the tourism, cannabis, natural resource, and renewable energy sectors; and to First Nation Communities in New Brunswick: develop strategies to support self-determination, self-sufficiency, and economic development.

EN:

Support services - also known as accompaniment practices and advisory services - are essential for the development of small businesses. In terms of support services specific to Indigenous businesses, the literature is rather silent. Yet, one can expect that the recent and growing market-related entrepreneurial trend in Indigenous communities will generate increasing accompaniment needs in those contexts. The objective of this research is to better understand the entrepreneurial ecosystem and its current synergy, as well as identifying the challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurship. To do so we rely on a qualitative methodological approach, focusing on the Indigenous entrepreneurial ecosystem in Quebec, Canada. Overall, our research highlights the need to adapt support services to Indigenous-related entrepreneurial issues. This research paves the way for a broader discussion related to how local governments, economic development organizations, funding agencies, and business support services organizations can work together for a comprehensive economic development strategy within Indigenous contexts.

EN:

For Aboriginals in Canada, their employment and participation rates decreased, and their unemployment rate remained the same in 2019. In contrast, non-Aboriginals' unemployment, employment, and participation rates improved. These rates and wage rates are and have historically been more favourable for non-Aboriginals than for Aboriginals. These rates are examined by gender, age, and sector, as well as for Métis and First Nations.