Capacity

"As the Information Age transforms Canadian society, Aboriginal Canadians can not risk being left behind. According to this report, information and communications technologies (ICT) "offer critical opportunities to strengthen Aboriginal cultural identities, promote sustainable community development and achieve greater self-reliance." These national recommendations reveal a critical opportunity for Canada's First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples to leapfrog into the Information Age."

"A new approach to economic development is emerging among the First Nations in Canada. This approach emphasizes the creation of profitable businesses competing in the global economy. These businesses are expected to help First Nations achieve their broader objectives that include: (i) greater control of activities on their traditional lands, (ii) self-determination, and (iii) an end to dependency through economic self-sufficiency.

"In contrast to the deficit paradigm's view of First Nations as victims beset with numerous problems e focus on positive developments for First Nations in Canada since the 1969 White paper. Four areas are examined: self-government, organizational capacity, structures of opportunity, and resistance to oppression. A profound transformation of the First Nation sociological landscape is observed as First Nation interests have become vested in the Canadian state, marginalization has diminished substantially, and structures of opportunity have opened."

"This article brings needed attention to the process of structural change in Aboriginal communities, which has been largely neglected in current policy and practice on economic development and good governance. New research strongly suggests that generalized trust (social capital), and a capacity to discuss rather than suppress conflict (social cohesion), are crucial to long-term success in economic development and self- government.

"The objective of this Report is to support to the Government’s commitment to ensuring that Aboriginal peoples are full partners in the Canadian economy, share fully in economic opportunities and achieve economic success that benefits Aboriginal people and all Canadians. The recommendations set out in the Report have been developed by the Board at a number of meetings held between January, 2008 and January, 2009. The Report
addresses Aboriginal economic development in its broadest sense."

This report summarizes a study by the Rural and Small Town Programme (RSTP) on capacity building in forestry dependent communities in New Brunswick with funding from the Fundy Model Forest, the New Brunswick Enterprise Network and the Regional Development Corporation. Due to the decline in the forestry industry, such communities need to look at ways to build new capacities in order to continue to be sustainable in the future.

This manual can launch your community on a process of renewal and resilience. It can help you facilitate the initial step towards successful transition from dependence on a single industry to innovative development based on diverse utilization of community resources. This transition often begins with a small group of determined citizens who engage others in the process of visioning, planning and implementing a sustainable future. The community should cultivate the capacity to shape its own ways of life and work.

This report summarizes a study by the Rural and Small Town Programme (RSTP) to develop the tools required by forestry‐dependent communities to help them transition from a one industry town.

This concept paper includes a planning and development process as a first phase of establishing an Aboriginal Centre for Research and Development Focussed on the Commercialization of Forest Products and Services. The proposed planning and development process will consist of refinement and validation of the concept, the preparation of a supporting business case, the recruitment of partners, and the identification of funding sources.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a framework for Aboriginal capacity building in the forest sector which will serve as a guide enabling community and regional level strategic planning. The framework provides conceptual approaches to Aboriginal governance and institutional reform and suggests that governmental programs be aligned so as to effectively utilize/maximize available resources enabling focussed initiatives in human resource development relative to the Aboriginal needs in the forest sector.