As they pursue economic development, Indigenous Peoples are working hard to balance business opportunities with the overall wellness of their communities, says a UVic business professor.
Prof. Brent Mainprize from the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria has spent years working with Indigenous communities and enterprises, and says economic choices are always guided by the aim of improving the health, wellness and prosperity of community members.
For Ideafest, he and law professor John聽Borrows, sa国际传媒 Research Chair in Indigenous Law, will moderate a panel discussion called WISE, Wellness and Indigenous Sustainable Economies.
Panel participants will include representatives drawn from six First Nations to offer community-level perspectives on achieving a balance of economic development with a healthy community.
The audience will hear from Peter Lantin, past president of the Haida Nation; Simoogit Galga (Arthur Mercer) of the Nisga鈥檃 Nation; Christina Clarke, CEO of the Songhees Development Corporation; Tricia Thomas, entrepreneur and strategic adviser for economic development for the Halalt Nation; Tom Child, past lands manager for the Kwakiutl Nation; and Anna (Sam) Hudson, executive director of the Akisqnuk Nation.
Each of the community leaders on the panel is expected to share personal experiences of balancing economic development with community well-being, through a consideration of culture, legal issues, modern treaties, resources, governance, demographics and healing from trauma.
Mainprize said at a time when Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n hereditary chiefs鈥� fight over a natural gas pipeline through their traditional territory is making news across sa国际传媒, the panel discussion is a great way to gain broader appreciation of challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
For a start, he said if his experience has taught him anything, it鈥檚 to expect different viewpoints from different First Nations, because each is unique.
鈥淭here is no one-size-fits-all for any nation, whether that鈥檚 around the world or across different Indigenous nations within the Canadian context,鈥� said Mainprize.
He expects discussion of issues such as economic entrepreneurship, community physical and mental health, legal issues, or聽cultural preservation. But each First Nation will be offering their own viewpoints.
Mainprize said he doesn鈥檛 expect the panel to present a big-issue, wide-reaching political discussion. Instead, what people will hear is the individual experiences of panelists in their own communities.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be six really engaging stories about journeys of individual nations,鈥� said Mainprize. 鈥淧eople who attend are going to hear those right from people who have been in their own nations making those decisions.鈥�
WISE: Wellness and Indigenous Sustainable Economies is set for Tuesday, March 3, 6- 8:30 p.m. at the First Peoples House Ceremonial Hall.
