Working Effectively with Indigenous Peoples™

What are iconic images to some are considered stereotypical, generic, ignorant and insulting to others. When it comes to the masses, stereotypical First Nation cultural images continue to do a great disservice to the cultural diversity of Aboriginal Peoples.

Corby Lamb is the president and owner of Capacity Forest Management Ltd. Corby was born and raised in Campbell River and has spent his life working in all aspects of the BC Forest Industry. Corby sits on the Provincial Forestry Forum, First Nations Sub Committee and the Resource Tenures Stewardship Committee as an advisor on First Nations as well. Corby is also a Director of the Campbell River Salmon Foundation and is the Board Chair of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce.

In 2003, Corby Lamb, President, Capacity Forest Management Inc., left a senior management position with Western Forest Products Inc. to launch a unique, full service forest management company. Corby kindly took some time to describe the mandate of his Campbell River based company.

For some First Nation people, inherent rights are rights bestowed upon them by the Creator who placed them on Turtle Island and provided them with instruction on how to live. While not all creation stories are the same they all share this theme. The Creator’s instruction formed the basis of the traditional knowledge, culture, traditions and oral traditions that have directed First Nations ever since. Therefore, First Nation inherent rights are not granted by the Crown and attempts to insinuate otherwise will be met with arguments of assimilation.

This is the fourth in our series First Nations and voting. In the Indian Act and the Right to Vote we delved into the history of First Nations obtaining the right to vote. In First Nations Right to Vote we provided some information on First Nation voter turnout since the 2004 federal election. The reasons why more First Nations don’t exercise their right to vote was covered in Barriers to First Nation Voting. This time we are looking at First Nation swing ridings for the upcoming 2015 federal election. This article was updated on October 26, 2015 to show the results of the election in each of the identified 51 swing ridings, as well as the number of Aboriginal MPs elected.

“Honouring our ancestors through our elders & recognizing our future through our youth.”[1]

For companies that want to work on traditional or treaty lands, building a respectful, effective First Nations community engagement strategy is key. A good first step is to find out what is important to the community you want to work with – fund raising for youth initiatives, community infrastructure or community events are a few common initiatives in First Nation communities.

Sponsoring and attending annual events shows a long term commitment to the community. The annual BC Elders’ Gathering is a strategic event to sponsor and attend because Elders can have a powerful voice in community decision making process. Their one concern is the future of their people, their language, traditions and land. As Brad Boyes, Director, Annual BC Elders Gathering Society, says “The Elders are who government and corporations should be meeting with. There’s no volatility there, they only care about the future of the people. These are the true decision makers in the province of British Columbia.” [2]

The BC Elders’ Gathering is a volunteer run event completely devoted to honouring First Nation Elders. The Gatherings provide a rare opportunity for people of a similar age to meet and mingle, share ideas, socialize, enjoy some pampering, learn new crafts, enjoy each other’s traditional languages, dances and songs, as well as dancing and sightseeing. It’s all about showing respect, appreciation and ensuring the senior members of the community have a wonderful experience. It's not a political event, but that doesn't mean politics are not discussed. 

This is the second installment in our series on First Nations and voting. Why don’t First Nations people exercise their right to vote on par with non-First Nations people? We are going to take a look at some of the barriers to First Nation voting, including changes to voting identification requirements.

First Nations want the ability to participate in the political, and more importantly, the economic mainstream without having to rely on federal funding to meet their community needs. In addition to business opportunities, they also want to get into the realm of taxes, royalties and revenue sharing on land developments which are viewed as critical to becoming self-reliant.

"The great aim of our legislation has been to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the Indian people in all respects with the other inhabitants of the Dominion as speedily as they are fit to change.” - John A Macdonald, 1887

Many laws affecting Aboriginal Peoples were combined in 1876 to become the Indian Act. The Act gave Canada a coordinated approach to Indian policy rather than the pre-Confederation piece-meal approach.

Here is a permission slip that would have be required to leave the reserve.  Although specifically not a law or regulation under the Indian Act, the Indian Act gave power to the federal government and its representatives, like the Indian Agent, to implement and enforce policies such as needing a pass to leave the reserve. It certainly is something that not many people would have known about the Indian Act.  

For First Nations, their identity, nationhood, and cultural survival are all interconnected to their relationship with the land and cannot be separated out from their specific lands. This inexorable connection is celebrated in oral histories, creation stories, ceremonies and cultural practices.