Conference

By Svitlana Konoval

Once again CANDO had the privilege of honouring this year’s Economic Developer of the Year Award winners at CANDO’s 14th Annual National Conference & AGM “7th Generation Economies” in Kamloops, British Columbia.  Two very committed, successful and inspirational economic developers were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments during the President’s Dinner.

Ruth Williams from the All Nations Trust Company in British Columbia won the Individual ED of the Year Award; and Little Shuswap Indian Band from British Columbia took home the award in the Business/Community Economic Developer of the Year category.

Ruth Williams has been a leader in social and economic development for Aboriginal people in British Columbia for 25 years.  She has been a member of dozens of organizations over the years, almost invariably assuming a leadership role.  Ruth currently sits on not less than seven different boards; she has also been a founding member of eight non-profit organizations, which are working to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people in the BC interior.  Ruth Williams is a founding member of All Nations Trust Company, an Aboriginally-owned trust company that has provided more than $56 million in business loans to Aboriginal entrepreneurs since 1987.  The impact of Ruth Williams’s socio-economic initiative has been felt locally, provincially and nationally.  Organizations and programs have been created during her career that have positively affected Aboriginal people in the fields of education, social programs, housing and business.  

While accepting her award, Ruth thanked her community for allowing her to work with them; she also thanked “all those that work with me…for making it happen”.  Ruth’s hopes are that the legacy that she leaves will make it a “better place for [everyone] to live in the future”. Congratulations, Ruth, on being the 2007 Individual Economic Developer of the Year winner, and all the best to you in the future!

Along the shoreline of Little Shuswap Lake, British Columbia, lies a place so rich in tradition and hospitality, it is unlike any other resort on earth. It is called Quaaout Resort & Conference Centre, and is the pride of the Little Shuswap Indian Band.  Quaaout Resort & Conference Centre is one of many Band businesses of the Little Shuswap Indian Band, where they demonstrate and provide quality service and facilitate this in a competitive industry.  

Little Shuswap Indian Band was honoured as a winner in the Business / Community category.  The Little Shuswap Indian Band has been on the forefront of economic development for over a decade.  Their initiatives have created employment for all types of industry bringing together people to understand each others cultures, traditions and heritage.

Little Shuswap Indian Band Councilors Tess Tomma and Wes Francois were gleaming with pride receiving their well-deserved award. “Thanks to all of you that help us to move forward,” Wes Francois said.  “[To reiterate] words of our Chief - there is no losers, everybody is a winner when working on initiatives in your communities.”  Good luck on your future initiatives, and congratulations on receiving the Economic Developer of the Year Award!

CANDO supports all economic developers that work hard to create healthy sustainable communities.  By sharing our stories and celebrating our successes we would like to ensure that economic development initiatives continue to grow.  We strongly encourage our readers to nominate outstanding economic developers in your area – so we can help them share their successes at our next year’s 15th Annual National Conference & AGM in Montreal, Quebec.

Economic Developer of the Year Award Recognition

Two Economic Developer Recognition recipients were honoured during this year’s President’s Dinner. Verna Billy-Minnabarriet from Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) in British Columbia was a recipient of the Economic Developer Recognition Award in the Individual category.

“I would like to thank CANDO for an opportunity to work with them and to continue to be a part of their wonderful organization.” – Verna began her acceptance speech. Verna’s work as an educator and her commitment to making mainstream educational institutions work for Aboriginal peoples has been highly commendable. Verna has always worked in the education field, particularly in the area of Aboriginal youth and adult education. She has taught, designed, implemented and administered programs aimed at the advancement of Aboriginal peoples in the social, economic and administrative environments. Verna works actively in promoting community, organizational and institutional partnerships that support the economic and social progress of Aboriginal Peoples.

Verna’s contributions in curricula design to meet the unique needs of Aboriginal students and her work with the numerous bodies involved in improving post secondary education  have impacted both geographic and “interest” communities. Her work with NVIT and the development of its community educational outreach programs has brought numerous educational classes to local Aboriginal communities in BC. Her earlier work in training youth and adults in entrepreneurial skill development and her work with interior BC First Nations in tourism initiatives has had a great social and community economic impact on a tremendous number of communities. 

Jennifer and Sharon Manitowabi traveled a great distance to attend the conference.  They represented the Andrew A. Manitowabi Group as they received the Economic Developer of the Year Recognition award in the Business/Community category.  In their acceptance speech, Jennifer noted, “it’s been [an] exciting experience…we are very much involved in economic development and encourage other people and communities to get involved with it.  Private enterprises are the way to go!” 

The Andrew A. Manitowabi Group, commonly referred to as “Andy’s”, provides a one stop shopping experience in Wikwemikong, Northern Ontario.  The proprietorship includes a grocery store with fresh meat and produce, hardware store, garden store, clothing/general merchandise store, electronics store, gasoline and service station/fuel delivery, coffee/sandwich/ice cream shop/meals to go, video store, laundromat, lottery terminal, banking services and excavating/heavy equipment contracting.

Andy’s is a family-owned business, which was established in 1966. Today, for those who can remember, Andy’s effort to provide services for the community of Wikwemikong started as a micro-business and through the years has grown into a multi-facilitated operation with annual revenues of $10 million. The Andrew A. Manitowabi Group is dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship and Aboriginal self-reliance, establishing new partnerships and creating new business venues, preserving a strong sustainable community and facilitating Aboriginal economic opportunities while maintaining Aboriginal culture and values (names of the produce at the grocery store are written in both, English and Ojibway Cree). Congratulations on being a recognition recipient and on your ongoing commitment and dedication in providing your home community with a variety of service and retail businesses!

CANDO congratulates all of the 2007 Economic Developer of the Year nominees – dedicated leaders in community economic development!  We wish you many successes in your future endeavors!