Sharing Lessons Learned

Funding from INAC's Community Support Services Program (CSSP) allowed community economic development corporation representatives from 23 NWT communities to attend a two day economic development seminar hosted by the Osoyoos Indian Band Centre for Aboriginal Community Enterprise in British Columbia. The session, specifically developed for the NWT, was called ‘The Osoyoos Indian Band Experience.' Chief Clarence Louie, Chief Executive Officer of the Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation (OIBDC) and executives of OIBDC presented the band's economic development experiences and lessons learned.

The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) is located on a 32,000 acre reserve in the Okanagan Valley of southern British Columbia just north of the Canada/US border. Separate from the band government and governed by a board of directors, the OIBDC is a $14 million organization with interests in nine businesses. It provides strategic economic development direction to the band's existing businesses and identifies new economic development opportunities.

Now economically successful and able to meet the social needs of its members by using profits from its businesses to top up social programs and services, the OIB did have challenges to overcome: a lack of business and financial experience; no administrative policies or procedures; and negative attitudes and behaviour. The band developed a community-supported vision of where it wanted to be and made changes to support and achieve that goal.

Through a variety of presentations, NWT attendees learned first-hand how the OIB successfully introduced and applied a new mindset to its way of doing business. They were introduced to the OIB's approach to financial leadership; received an overview of business financing and building business capital; became familiar with the steps used to evaluate an opportunity; reviewed a case study in community entrepreneurship; and enjoyed a tour of the site.

Merven Gruben, Vice Chair of the Tuktoyaktuk Development Corporation, Mayor of Tukoyaktuk and owner of Gruben's Transport pointed out that, “OIB is doing their own thing very successfully and filling in the gaps were there is a shortfall from the government. We can learn a lot from our people in other parts of the country.”

Many of the approaches and actions that the OIB has taken can be applied in the North:

• Have a clear organizational separation between business and/or commercial operations and band governance
• Run businesses on a profit-oriented basis
• Have a sound financial management plan and employ experienced, knowledgeable and skilled managers
• Establish accountability among staff, management, chief, council and employees
  Search out proven business advisors, learn from them and take advantage of their expertise
• Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them
• Understand the why behind successes and mistakes
• Challenge practices and attitudes that undermine success
• Be strategic in both planning and executing proposed ventures
• Conduct due diligence (do your homework) before committing to something
• Work with non-Native communities and people

By learning from others' experiences and following successful examples, Aboriginal leaders, business people and all Northerners, can create positive change and make real improvements in their communities and in the lives of all Northern residents.