ESTEVAN — Two Indigenous leaders from opposite areas of the province discussed their respective efforts to attract new business during the Innovation Conference for Economic Development (ICED) in Rural Areas in Estevan.
White Bear First Nations Chief Jonathan Pasap and NewNation Developments' Albert Derocher of the Flying Dust First Nations spoke during a panel discussion hosted by Christian Boyle, who is the CEO and founder of Shapeshift Development. Boyle hosted the panel on behalf of the Saskatchewan Indigenous Economic Development Network (SIEDN).
Pasap, who is in his second term as White Bear’s chief, said it has been great to create wealth, unity and prosperity. Prior to becoming chief, he was the regional general manager for the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority and is now part of its board of directors.
Derocher has worked in economic development for about 40 years, with most of his time spent with the First Nation and tribal council. In the past six years, he started his own consulting company, which has kept him busy.
“The Indigenous base is starting to really grow in terms of getting into business and so at the end of the day, I’ve been trying to accommodate and help out as many communities as I can,” said Derocher.
Boyle pointed out a lot of challenges and opportunities are shared between Indigenous and rural areas. He wanted to know the innovative solutions White Bear and Flying Dust are taking.
Pasap said White Bear struggles with reliable, clean energy. A few years ago, the reserve had a blackout that lasted three or four days.
“We’re doing some foundational work right now. We’re in the process of doing the final step of our national energy plan … which is going to look at three options: wind, solar and .. geothermal. We’re going to use this nation energy plan as a foundational governance piece … to create reliable, clean energy,” said Pasap.
The nation wants to use the energy plan to build a new hotel with an added spa. And it’s part of the Seven Stars Wind Project with Enbridge.
Derocher noted there is a lot of interest in what’s happening at Flying Dust. He recalls that in the early 1980s, they took over a mill that is now NorSask Forest Products – the largest First Nations-owned sawmill in Canada.
Flying Dust is also going to be a 51 per cent owner in a 100-megawatt solar facility and a 200-megawatt wind project that it is developing with SaskPower. And it has developed a commercial subdivision.
“We built everything with our own money. There’s no government money in our community. We don’t have grants. We don’t go for that. I’ve always said to our people that we were self-sufficient before other people came here, we’re going to remain self-sufficient,” said Derocher.
Flying Dust built its own arena and nursing home, a 37,000-square foot office building, and has also worked on a new hotel, strip malls, apartment buildings and a health hub. And they are involved in a variety of industries.
It controls its own land, he said. It doesn’t need permission from federal or provincial governments to address development in the community. And the reserve makes sure environmental considerations are “front and centre” when it comes to any development.
Boyle said there are challenges, but Flying dust and the nearby city of Meadow Lake are building something that’s going to benefit residents of both communities. He’s looking for examples of First Nations that are working with neighbouring urban and rural communities.
Looking beyond Saskatchewan’s borders, Pasap noted the reserve has sent four students to an Ontario school to learn information technology. Their first year is in that province and their second will be back at White Bear.
“The goal is, of course, to build up our youth for jobs in the future. That’s one goal. And of the course, the second goal we have is to build up a facility, our own tech hub,” said Pasap.
White Bear’s population has grown by 150 people in the past two years, Pasap said, and it needs to have education available for them.
Derocher suggested they need to look at how to bring programming and training back to communities to give people the chance to be successful. He views technology and artificial intelligence as the future.
When it comes to economic development, Pasap said meaningful, early engagement is crucial to build relationships and trust.
“If people come to the nation and are involved in the nation and ask questions about the nation and do it early enough, you’re going to make progress. There’s going to be some goodwill created and you’re going to get a lot of support. Of course the nation will still do the due diligence,” said Pasap.
White Bear is looking to hire a director of operations to oversee current and future businesses. And he has had conversations with Estevan Mayor Tony Sernick and the City of Estevan.
Derocher said government and business can be like oil and water at times, but when he meets with companies, each side has a checkbox, and if they can meet the first three or four requirements, they can talk,
“If you don’t have respect for our traditions, our people and our land, then there’s no trust. And if there’s no respect or trust, there’s no partnership here,” said Derocher.
He also tells other First Nations that a lot of companies won’t deal with them if there isn’t a development corporation. The days of chiefs and councils being on such boards are going away.
"We bring in the people that are the experts in that industry,” said Derocher. “Again, if I don’t know something about something, I’m going to bring in somebody who does and let them lead the way, and I’ll follow.”
Creating generational wealth is important for Indigenous people, Pasap said, because it benefits people of all ages in the community.
