Revisiting the 2008 CANDO Conference: Economic Development from a Youth Perspective
By Adele Alexander, RedWAY BC News Business & Economic Development Writer
Edited with Kristin Kozuback, Spiritlink Communications
 
The 2008 Council for the Advancement of Economic Development (CANDO) annual national economic developer’s conference was in Montréal, Quebec. I’m a writer for RedWAY BC News, a free on-line magazine published by Kristin Kozuback of Spiritlink Communications; she took me to my first CANDO Conference and AGM in Kamloops, BC in 2007.  So I was happy to attend another jam-packed conference last October.
 
I looked forward to reconnecting with some of the people we met in Secwepemc territory  last year. I've never been out East, and looked forward to travelling to the traditional Mohawk territory of Kahnawa:ke, Quebec.  (Please see resource list at the end of this article for companies/organizations/Nations listed in BOLD – be an active reader and learn more on your own!)
 
New Experiences – Including Fear Factor
This trip had lots of new experiences – it was my first time leaving BC and my first time travelling on a plane. I was rather nervous about the flight. If you’ve never flown before, you’ve just got to trust the experts (pilots and crew), take some deep breaths and focus on staying calm.
 
After we landed and got settled in the hotel (Montreal’s Delta Centre-Ville), we went downstairs to say hi to the conference organizers Svitalana, Ray, Delilah, Breezy and the rest of the CANDO team.  We went to check out our booth space – prime location, thank you! -  and then we headed out for our my first ever French cuisine dinner. We wandered around the old cobblestone streets in the old port of Montreal, beginning to get a feel for the food, the people and over 400 years of history of colonization for the Mohawk peoples.
 
That night, I realized the conference was better than I thought it was going to be because of the spirit of the people and the theme that is so important to our growth and development:  “the power of technology.” Plus, Montréal was way better than I thought it was going to be!
 
On the first full day we were in Montreal, we purposely slept in due to the time difference (it’s 3 hours ahead of us, so even though we slept until 9 am their time, it was only 6 am BC time).  Sunday was the fundraiser golfing day, so we used the day to set up our booth and to try to get photocopying done...did you know most businesses are closed on Sunday in Montreal? Very Catholic!
 
Plus, Kristin had to finalize our Spiritlink workshop session (see the http://www.edo.ca/conference/2008/presentations website to learn about our presentation “10 Benefits of Using Electronic Magazines – Powering YOUR Technology.”) for later that week. We were excited to show ways that e-zines (like RedWAY) are easy to use tools to increase communication or raise awareness about issues, ideas and opportunities while saving people time and money.
 
Birthday Celebrations
We also celebrated my 22^nd birthday at the end of the day. Kristin treated us to a nice dinner at Vargas, a fancy steakhouse and sushi restaurant that our concierge recommended. Of course, I ordered my favourite – pasta. I had a delicious grilled chicken pasta and asparagus dish, but it was more than I could handle, so we put off having a birthday dessert until later that night.
 
After dinner we went back to the conference area in the hotel, where I registered and signed up for a two day course, an introduction to Aboriginal Community Economic Development (ACED). This is part of the process to earn a certificate in ACED – a certificate that can lead to jobs in our communities or in government (Canadian and/or Native governments).
 
I finally had room for my birthday dessert – so ordered a chocolate fondue at the hotel restaurant.  We talked with Verna Billy-Minnabarriet from NVIT (Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in BC). She suggested that I call her if I do decide to go into economic development in the next year to find out more information about the 20-course program they offer at NVIT to help people earn their ACED (Aboriginal Community Economic Development) certificates.
 
I think I’ll look into doing my upgrading at NVIT and taking more ACED courses next semester.  NVIT is expanding their programs at their main campus in Merritt and their new campus in Vancouver, so she may be sending us news from her community and schools for RedWAY.
 
Thanks again, Verna, for treating me to my chocolate fondue for my birthday!
 
Day 1 – Learning about Aboriginal Community Economic Development, touring Kahnawa:ke Territory, and laughing with Elder Billy Two Rivers
On Monday, the first full day of the conference, I spent the morning in the ACED class with ten other students. I really enjoyed the class - the instructor was great as he explained what economic development was (see our article in RedWAY), and how economics work. Before this class, I didn’t really understand what economics was, but now I have somewhat of better understanding of what economics is, and hope that at the end of the course I will understand completely.  It’s like things I knew that make a country or community healthy and strong, but didn’t really know terms of – small business development, maybe having band-run corporations, educated people, a sense of culture, strong self-government, infrastructure to support growth (like roads, high-speed access, computers, safe water) and thinking about the future (sustainability) and resources.
 
He also explained how the goals and length of the course, and set an assignment we were to do on the community tour to Kahnawa:ke later that afternoon.
 
Touring Kahnawa:ke Territory
In the afternoon we went to the local reservation called Kahnawa:ke, just across the river from Montreal. The first place we went was the church, one of the oldest places on the reserve. What the church has to do with economics is beyond me, but the church was incredible inside with beautiful paintings on the ceilings and the windows had nice designs on them.
 
Elder Billy Two Rivers again told stories of what all happened in that one location along the riverbank behind the church. Some of the stories were about the church, some of them where about the old bunker and the ‘almost-war’ that happened during three months of the summer of 1990. The Kahnawa:ke people of the Mohawk Nation had been pursuing a land claim that included a burial ground and a sacred grove of pine trees near Kanesatake. This brought them into conflict with the Montreal town of Oka, which was developing plans to expand a golf course onto the land. 
 
You’d think most people would understand the anger the Mohawk Nation felt about turning a cemetary/burial ground into a golf course, especially without permission or even consultation, but that core issue was lost in the media stories.  Imagine if some developer was given permission to tear up land where your grandparents and great-great-great grandparents rested?
 
On the bus tour, they mentioned all the smoke shops on the reserve. On one street, I think I counted at least seven within a few blocks because cigarettes are tax free if they’re purchased on the reserve.  
 
The community had two radio stations - one run through the band and the other practiced “the freedom of speech,” according to our tour guide. I thought it was great how they had a little hospital with nurses that actually grew up on the community, the only healthcare worker in the community that didn’t grow up there was their doctor. I liked how they had a healthy gathering place for youth to go and a place for Elders to go.
 
After the tour, we had a filling traditional lunch and the CANDO members hosted their AGM, but we just took the bus back to rest in our room and set goals for our trip.
 
Night at the Museum – Native-Style!
Later that evening, we all went to a networking event at the McCord Museum of Canadian History, where we got to enjoy the Museum and neat snacks like chicken satays and sandwiches.  There was also a comedian and a singer who entertained us - I thought the comedian (Brian Majore) was funny, but afterwards some people asked me if I thought he was too racist. I said I grew up around the things he was talking about, so I didn’t really notice or get upset.
 
The singer was Melisa Pash, and I thought was she great as she found new ways to blend the sounds of a traditional drum with modern music and a very soothing voice.
 
Day 2 – Continuing education and CANDO conference sessions
On Tuesday, I had class again in the morning. As a group we talked about the economic development initiatives we saw at Kahnawa:ke. We went in to detail of what we are going to be learning in the classes. A speaker came in and explained how he started his business and what he has done to help his community. I thought it was amazing on how he started from nothing and worked his way up to something. I also liked the fact that he still helps his community, but what I thought was awesome is that he won’t hire people from the community if they do not wish to work. He doesn’t waste his time trying to get them to work; he simply says, “Fine. I will find others outside the community to work for us.”
 
In the afternoon, I sat in a short snapper session called “Creating a Results Based Organization.” John Bud Morris, Kahnawa:ke Economic Development Commission & Marcelene H. Anderson, Raven Strategic Consulting hosted the short snapper session and they talked of their experiences in the past three years. Read the summary of their presentation at the CANDO Conference site at http://www.edo.ca/conference/2008/presentations/creating-a-results .  They explained that because of their high expectations for results placed on ED organizations, one of the challenges they face is to find ways to focus on setting goals then getting results that benefit the most people. And they need to identify ways to measure the success of the outcomes. They explained how to get the results in designing and implementing activities but moving towards a results-based approach. They also gave tips on how someone can start their business and get results right away.
 
The best tip I think they shared was to, “look ahead to where you want to be next year then focus on the results you want. Then keep those results in mind, and you should have no problem getting those results.”
 
Final Conference day – more insights and opportunities
In the morning I went to the “The New Source of Power is Not Money in the Hands of Few, but Information in the Hands of Many.” It was hosted by Roland Bellerose of I-powwow Enterprises Ltd., and he talked about how everything on-line comes together - from emails to surveys to web pages.
 
Roland talked about what we know at RedWAY – that in the digital world there are no limits to the imagination. He explained the architecture of the internet and technology, and how a one-stop portal could help people find the right information right away.  Rolland is proposing the development of a new search engine called I-PowWow that will limit what you are searching for to Native links. This short snapper made some sense, but it’s reminding us of the common sense things that I knew it already. They just made my possibilities much bigger.
 
Inspiration and Impact from the 2008 Aboriginal Youth Panel
In the afternoon, I went to the CANDO Aboriginal Youth Panel presentation. I was amazed – along with everyone else who attended the session - by the stories from the diverse group of Youth leaders from across Canada. 
 
We heard from Youth theatre queen Elissa Kixen about her inspiring Youth programs; the challenges and benefits of starting an adventure company based in traditional culture from an eco-tour guide, George Awashish; a sad but motivating story from Donald Bear , a young health advocate; success triumping over addictions and loss of self-esteem from fashion designer and Youth counsellor, Travis Badger; opportunities for Youth to connect to sport, the 2010 Olympics, and business from leader Aaron Marchant; and the benefits of higher education from activist and poet Robert Animiiki Horton.
 
Their presentation was the highlight of the trip, it was so inspiring and exciting it is an article all its own – see this issue and the CANDO newspaper – it might get published there, too!
 
After the youth panel, Kristin and I took down our booth, packed up all the entry forms and then changed for the President’s Dinner and Dance.

At the dinner, everyone was still networking, so I was happy to meet other delegates from Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec to talk to people about what they do to support economic development in their communities. There was a fundraising auction with some Montreal Canadiens goodies, artwork and prizes to raise money for CANDO’s National Indigenous Economic Education Foundation (NIEEF). It is a charitable organization that provides scholarships, training and research funding for students involved in Aboriginal community economic development. The autographed Canadiens jersey and golf clubs were quite a hit with bidders!
 
During the dance, I got to talk to one of the youth for the youth panel. It was great as he went in to a little more detail of what he does to keep himself healthy to serve his community. But because I was tired from the crazy busy week – and because Kristin has a ‘two-drink Spiritlink rule’ (which is a maximum of two drinks if we’re representing Spiritlink at any events – kind of a self-imposed rule to help us stay focused on work), I called it an early night.
 
Overall gratitude to the CANDO team
I thought it was amazing on how many people traveled for this conference and that some of the delegates even brought their family with them. Some of the delegates I met actually drove for at least 13 hours to get to Montreal.  Because the CANDO team allowed us to have two delegate passes and an exhibitor booth space in exchange for some articles and publicity in RedWAY, Kristin only had to pay for our flights and rooms in Montreal...so thank you for helping save her money so she could bring me to Montreal!
 
This trip for me was great because I got to see more of the business world (and Native world!), meet more people, and leave with a few new friends.
 
But just like last year, I would recommend that there still needs to be more support from leaders, businesses and organizations to bring youth to the conferences.  We need access, connections and mentoring. We don’t mind working hard for it...I went to lots of sessions to report back to you all about our experiences.  Providing support for Youth is especially important if people really want to attract us to get into careers in business, government or economic development in their community.
 
About the author, Adele Alexander
 
Adele Alexander is from Skak’it7 (Seton Portage), BC in the St’at’imc Territory. Adele grew up in Seton Portage, BC and lived there for most of her life then moved to the city to do upgrading and maybe attend Douglas College.  You can send her your job postings or any sort of employment news at jpen(at)spiritlinking(dot)com
 
Companies and resources listed in this article
 
·        For more information about the Mohawk Nation and Kahnawa:ke territory, check out their website at http://www.kahnawake.com/slideshow
·        Secwepemc - Kamloops Indian Band – www.kib.ca
·        CANDO – www.edo.com
·        Delta Centre-Ville Hotel - http://www.deltahotels.com/hotels/hotels.php?hotelId=35
·        Vargas Restaurant - http://www.vargas.ca/
·        Nicola Valley Institute of Technology – NVIT at www.nvit.ca
·        McCord Museum of Canadian History - http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/
·        Brian Majore – www.thebloodysavage.com
·        Melisa Pash - http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/
·        Kahnawa:ke Economic Development Commission - www.kahnawake.com/council/chiefcouncil.asp  Raven Strategic Consulting - http://www.ravenstrategic.com/
·        I-Powwwow.com - http://i-powwow.com/
·        Spiritlink Communications – www.spiritlinking.com
·        RedWAY BC News – www.imninc.com/spiritlink
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