"Community-led development is an approach to tackling local problems that is taking hold throughout the world. This paper explores the concept and practice of the approach as it applies to First Nations communities in Canada. It briefly identifies ten core principles that comprise the basis for community-led development, summarizes selected examples in Canada and elsewhere in the world and highlights lessons from Aboriginal community-led development.
"There are few works on economic development among Canada's Aboriginal. Living Rhythms offers a current perspective on indigenous economics, planning, business development, sustainable development, and knowledge systems. Using a series of cases studies featuring Aboriginal communities and organizations, Wanda Wuttunee shows that their adaptations to economic and social development are based on indigenous wisdom and experience.
"Despite the initial impression that ecotourists are an ideal market for indigenous tourism developers, a closer examination suggests that these groups do not necessarily share similar views of the relationship between humans and nature. Conflict is likely to arise between these groups unless a greater understanding of these differences is achieved and successfully used in the planning and management of indigenous tourism developments."
"Aboriginal peoples are increasingly being invited to participate in sustainable forest management processes as a means of including their knowledge, values, and concerns. However, it is justifiable to ask if this participation does lead to changes in forest management plans and to outcomes in management activities. We review four forest management plans over 10 years (1999–2009) in Labrador, Canada, to determine if increasing involvement by the Aboriginal Innu Nation has led to changes in plan content.
"The ways in which urban municipalities understand and work within the context of Aboriginal community aspirations and needs will affect the quality of future urban development, in physical, social, economic and cultural sectors. Planning is central to shaping the institutional arrangements to help actualise Aboriginal community aspirations.
"This paper uses survey information to examine several common assertions about the institutional prerequisites for successful profitability when a First Nation enters an economic enterprise either independently or in joint effort with an outside firm. In the winter of 2004-2005, we interviewed managers on both the First Nations and private sides of joint ventures and other business alliances in Canada, to determine what affected their recent profitability experience. We gathered information on the ages, sizes, and activities of the firms.
"A career-life planning model for use with First Nations people is described. This model uses a communal counseling process and focuses on key components such as connectedness, balance, needs, roles, gifts, and values."
"A training project in a northern Canadian community provided an opportunity to examine participatory planning approaches and the meaning of work in First Nations communities. Focus groups conducted three years after the unsuccessful intervention of a community economic development (CED) project suggest that complex factors such as lack of support from community leaders and rate of pay for workers determine whether CED is always appropriate in northern, First Nations contexts."
"The purpose of the study was to field-test the First Nations Career-Life Planning Model, developed by McCormick and Amundson (1997), to determine, from participant feedback, if the model was viable, practical, and culturally appropriate. First Nations youth as well as family and community members participated in career counselling sessions and provided feedback on the model. The comments and feedback were categorised into five themes that support and suggest ways of improving the model further. Implications for practice and future research are included."
"The following is the keynote address of Chief Billy Diamond presented at the Fourth Annual General Assembly of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO), which took place in Montreal, September 25 to 27, 1997. Chief Diamond's speech was both timely and moving. In it he is direct and honest highlighting - in no uncertain terms - what must happen if economic development is going to have a positive impact on the future of Aboriginal communities in Canada. His message is as vitally important today as it was in 1997.
