Tripartite Forum Economic Development Working Committee
TRC Call 92: Business and Reconciliation • We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following: • i. Commit to meaningful consultation, building respectful relationships, and obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before proceeding with economic development projects. • ii. Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects. • iii. Provide education for management and staff on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal – Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
Economic Development Working Committee • Highlight four (4) projects • Social Enterprise Toolkit • Ukmuljin • Tourism Capacity Development • Cultural Awareness Card • Highlight core principle of communication and information-sharing
Membership Mi’kmaq • Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs, Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, First Nation Economic Development Officers, Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative), Mi’kmaq Employment & Training Secretariat, Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey , Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association, Ulnooweg Development Group Inc., Union of Nova Scotia Indians Province of Nova Scotia • Department of Labour and Advanced Education, Nova Scotia Business Inc., Office of Aboriginal Affairs Government of Canada • Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Service Canada, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Social Enterprise Toolkit • Developed 2016-2017 • Offers practical guide to build social enterprise • Commercial ventures with a social focus on human and environmental well-being • Social enterprise reflects Mi’kmaw core values of people and the environment • Limited number of hard copies, available online shortly
Ukmuljin • Developed additional component to Friendship Centre’s Seven Sparks Healing Path Initiative for Aboriginal Offenders: • goal to minimize social dependency and redirect the lives of Mi’kmaq offenders; and • focused on employment, work placements, entrepreneurship, and business and economic development outcomes • Implementation stalled from lack of resources
Tourism Capacity Development • Edge of the Wedge Sustainable Tourism training for NS Mi’kmaq Tourism leads, facility operators and community members • Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism providing customized training • Apply learnings to grow industry in NS
Development of a Cultural Awareness Card • Develop a pocket guide to create cultural awareness • Directly related to Recommendation 92, highlighting need for education on the history of Aboriginal peoples • Resource to support corporate role in cultural awareness
Information Sharing and Communications • Ensure committee members are aware of current initiatives and resources related to economic development and employment • Presentations from businesses, communities and other economic development partners • Promote employment and economic opportunities through committee meetings and activities • Facilitate collaboration and information sharing
Prioritize Communication • Often we categorize issues and opportunities as single source and end up working in silos • We must communicate better with communities, organizations, and committees • Seek collaboration and partnerships (eg, Ukmuljin with Justice Committee, and Cultural Card with Education and Culture and Heritage Committee) • Everything is interconnected: education, social, justice, culture, and economic development all form a network
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