in a remarkable First Nations success story in British Columbia. . .
December 12th, 2009
News and Comment
by Tehaliwaskenhas - Bob Kennedy
Copyright
Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org/business/business.htm
What's business got to do with First Nations culture?
Everything! if you ask Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band, leader of one of the most progressive First Nations communities in North America.
http://www.oib.ca
"Preserving our culture is why we are in business," visionary leader Chief Louie is quoted as saying, on the web site of the Osoyoos Indian Band's Development Corporation.
Today Chief Louie and his community's government, are once again illustrating their entrepreneurial philosophy in dramatic style, and in plain view of all of us to see,
and to share in their awesome success.
It is called the Senkulmen Enterprise Park - an environmentally-sustainable enterprise park in Oliver, BC.
(Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie and the Hon. Stockwell Day, MP Okanagan-Coquihalla and Minister of International Trade at the launch of the Band's newest development – the environmentally-sustainable Senkulmen Enterprise Park slated to open in Summer 2010. Senkulmen means 'a place to work and create' in the Okanagan language.)
At a ceremony to officially launch the project, Chief Louie stated, "Our goal is to deliver one of the most environmentally sustainable industrial and commercial park developments in Canada."
The Osoyoos Indian Band Council announced construction of the park will soon begin now that partnership funding for the project is in place - $2.7-million in partnership funding from the Canadian Government's Western Economic Diversification Community Adjustment Fund.
"Many Bands across North America have established industrial and commercial parks and they are proving to be the financial and job creation lifeblood for their communities," said Chief Louie. "Realizing this goal concludes a 40-year journey for our Band to develop a state-of-the-art Enterprise Park that will attract new businesses to the area, provide year-round well paid jobs and generate economic spin-off benefits for the South Okanagan for generations to come."
The Senkulmen Enterprise Park is expected to attract new manufacturing and supporting jobs to the South Okanagan. A news release explained that these jobs are expected to provide year-round, well-paid employment, with salaries typically higher than those in other local sectors such as retail and tourism. The enterprise park will be developed in several phases to the highest environmental standards.
These types of First Nations projects are inspiring. They provide proof that there is powerful, positive leadership in our communities. They create a good counterbalance to the stories of corruption that surface occasionally, but all too often spawn too many generalizations, and receive too much emphasis by the right-wing press.
First Nations success also carries weight in ensuring support in Ottawa. Business success can help demonstrate that the federal government is 'walking the talk' of its policies and philosophies - such as the Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development, "By focusing on opportunities, responding to new and changing conditions, leveraging partnerships and focusing on results, the Government of Canada, Aboriginal Canadians and willing partners will work together to ensure that Aboriginal Canadians enjoy the same opportunities for employment, income and wealth creation as other Canadians".
The Osoyoos Indian Band industrial park will be located on a 207-acre parcel of land at the north end of ther eserve on Highway 97 near Oliver, with approximately 112 acres dedicated for commercial activity and 95 acres set aside as environmentally protected land.It is expected to take 10 to 20 years to 'build-out' and will ultimately accommodate up to 40 tenants.
Here's some of the "Green" included in this environmentally-sustainable enterprise park . . .
- District Heat System using waste heat from the nearby Vincor winery.
- Geothermal cooling/heating from underground water source.
- Solar energy cells mounted on building roofs for heating and lighting.
- Earth roof for the sanitary waste building.
- Greywater recycling from Enterprise Park tenants to be used for irrigation needs.
- Partner with environmental organizations to replant conservation areas such as the utility corridor.
- Conservation of sensitive habitat areas.
- Landscaping with local vegetation.
- Strong environmental and aesthetic guidelines for tenants.
The 460-member Osoyoos Indian Band runs nine businesses, including the largest tourism resort in the South Okanagan region of British Columbia, a desert cultural centre, and NK’MIP Cellars – the first Aboriginal-owned winery in North America. Osoyoos Indian Band businesses have won numerous environmental, architectural, and business awards for their innovation.
(Note from the editor of Turtle Island Native Network: Fortunately for all First Nations, in recent years Chief Clarence Louie and his progressive community and their business have received a lot of attention from the mainstream media. This coverage certainly helps hold out hope for our youngsters, that on the near-horizon, success can be real. But it also counters the ongoing stereotypes of "Indian" people as poor people only. Note to naysayers, yes I use the word Indian - and why not, if it's good enough for Chief Louie and his community to publicly refer to themselves as the Osoyoos Indian Band . . . then it's alright here too as we acknowledge their particular success story.)
Previously reported . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/business/clouie.html
Also of interest
Visionary Leaders Embrace the Sustainable . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=7582#p7582
