Breaking the Mold of Aboriginal Funding

Perched on a ridge overlooking the Okanagan valley resort town of Osoyoos you'll find the Nk'Mip Desert & Heritage Centre, home to a slice of rare Sonora desert. Right across the road there's a sleek new building of glass, steel and wood. That's Nk'Mip Cellars, Canada's only aboriginal owned and operated winery.

Go down the road a bit and you'll also see a nine-hole golf course, 96-unit hotel, campground and RV park all under construction - and all of it owned and operated by the local Nk'Mip nation. "It's an example of balancing economic self sufficiency and activity with conservation and preservation of land," remarks Geraldine Manossa, Director of Marketing at the Nk'Mip Desert Centre.

The idea for the centre came from a vision that Nk'Mip Chief Clarence Louie had several years ago. "He looked at these lands and realized they were very fragile … (he) wanted in some way to preserve and protect that." With its endangered plants and rare animal species the desert area of the Nk'Mip was considered prime real estate.

Planning and execution for the Desert Centre and the winery brought together the entire Nk'Mip nation, as well as the people of Osoyoos. Both initiatives were a key component in a wider, multimillion dollar investment scheme to transform the area, "into a destination."

The cost to complete Phase 1 of the Desert Centre was $1.6 million, which was financed through grants from Indian and Northern Affairs and from organizations like Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC). Phase 2 of the project is valued at $7.2 million and involves construction of a new 18,000 square foot interpretive centre, which they plan to finance partly through corporate and foundation donations.

It's no wonder the Nk'Mip slogan is, "a people on the move." The centre and winery are already delivering jobs and training for local youth - while giving them a compelling reason to stay on the land. Manossa says the unemployment rate among the Nk'Mip is just 5%, the lowest of any aboriginal nation in Canada.

"There's that incentive that if you do go to school, if you do finish university, the chances are you're going to have a good job."

Manossa adds that the Nk'Mip regularly receive delegates from other First Nations groups with their own entrepreneurial development initiatives. She believes the accomplishments of the Nk'Mip provide a model or a base from which others can start. "I don't know of anyone that is doing anything similar," she wonders.

New Thinking to Break an Old Cycle
One First Nations activist, Dr. Robert Simon of the Secwepemc Nation, thinks good old fashioned capitalism - fused to an ongoing desire to reclaim traditional lands - is the best way to break the deadlock of native poverty.

"The path to traditional lands and resources is an old story for Aboriginal people," he explains. "It relates to our ongoing efforts to reconnect to our land and resources to rebuild our society and revitalize our cultures."

The problem is that native organizations, "usually end up following the examples of mainstream Canada in their approaches to address similar issues of social and economic hardship" (ie. handouts). That's changing and the Nk'Mip's accomplishments are an example of how philanthropists, corporations, government and local communities can join with sound business ideas to boost the prospects of an entire community.

The Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) is one of those organizations that is committed to helping aboriginal entrepreneurs realize their vision. According to Sky Bridges, Marketing and Client Relations Manager, the CCAB's job is to "broker relationships" between aboriginal businesses and "mainstream" Canada. "We go out and basically find companies to give money towards."

Bridges cites government estimates which suggest that $200 billion will be transferred to aboriginal communities in the form of land claims and other financial transfers in the next 15 years. He believes strongly that smart business people across Canada are looking for ways to get in on the ground floor and help build on that transfer.


BIG Picture: If you've got a good business idea to transform your local First Nations community, there are networks of people to assist you - as well as pools of money to draw from.

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