Representatives from all regions of the NWT were in Vancouver last week to attend B.C.鈥檚 annual mining conference, putting them in touch with industry reps and each other to talk about resource development in the territory.
鈥淲e have a lot of key people here from each of the regions, aboriginal components, and some of the groups that are working with these diamond mines,鈥� said Joseph Kochon, band manager for the Behdzi Ahda First Nation and president of its economic development wing. 鈥淲e鈥檙e having some good insights from them. Just meeting with other regions 鈥� that鈥檚 very interesting.鈥�
Kochon said he and his colleagues in the NWT鈥檚 delegation have been immersed in discussions about where the industry is going around the world, its modern ways of doing business and its new technologies. These insights and conversations, he said, are worth the cost of the trip.
鈥淵ou know, with the environment, there鈥檚 a more cleaner way of doing work versus the old way,鈥� said Kochon. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so many insights that it鈥檚 worth looking at. Sitting at home, you really can鈥檛 get those insights. You have to spend money to make money and there鈥檚 no going around that.鈥�
Kochon says there鈥檚 no real industry activity right now in his home region, around Colville Lake, but many of his fellow band members are employed by the diamond mines. A big piece of the puzzle the NWT needs to build on, he said, is in training.
鈥淭here is a way to recruit aboriginal people,鈥� said Kochon, 鈥渋t鈥檚 just training and everything that needs to play a big part in getting into how a mine works and everything 鈥� you can鈥檛 just walk in the door, just like that.鈥�
During a luncheon for the aboriginal delegation, Premier Bob McLeod brought in B.C. MLA Ellis Ross, a former cabinet minister now in the Liberal opposition to the province鈥檚 NDP government.
Ross is a former chief councilor for the Haisla Nation in B.C., and grew up on reserve. He鈥檚 made his name recently by being pro-development, which has led to him being called a 鈥渟ell-out鈥� and 鈥渁ssimilated,鈥� he told the audience. But he says it鈥檚 worth it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not about getting rich. It鈥檚 about stopping poverty and all the issues associated with it,鈥� he told his audience.
In an interview after the luncheon, Ross says he was approached by many after his speech, saying he touched on the issues NWT communities were going through.
鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, and they鈥檙e just trying to find a way out of it,鈥� said Ross.
鈥淲hat it boils down to is putting aboriginals in a position where they can help themselves because there鈥檚 too much of the idea that government can help, that people outside of the community can help.鈥�
Kochon said the idea of self-reliance in the speech resonated with him 鈥� ensuring that there is money in the pockets of our young people.鈥�
鈥淏uilding up your own workforce is very key and having the training and the ability to participate in any type of project is a very beneficial thing,鈥� said Kochon.
He said his band has built up its own resources over time.
鈥淣ow we invest and make more money here and there,鈥� he said. 鈥淲herever the money goes, we follow it. Whereas you don鈥檛 really have to be sitting on your [butt] doing nothing and waiting for something to come to you, which is not really going to happen unless you go out and participate.鈥�
News/North attempted to reach Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie and Gwich鈥檌n Tribal Council President and Grand Chief Bobbi Jo Greenland, who were also in attendance, but couldn鈥檛 connect with them by press time.
