1. Aboriginal Perspectives on the Social Economy By:Alice Corbiere Rosalind Johnston Rosalind Johnston José A. Reyes CESD

2. Today’s Presentation 1. Why not the social economy? Contrasting worldviews Contrasting worldviews Developing a holistic response Developing a holistic response 2. Expanding the definition of the social economy 3. Indigenous perspectives beyond Canadian borders

3. Community Economic and Social Development Applying a holistic worldview to ‘economic development ’

4. Applying a Holistic Worldview to Development N. – physical - economic E.- spiritual – cultural S. – emotional - social W. – mental – legal/political

5. Addressing People’s Needs Holistically Community Economic and Social Development (Hons. BA) program: encompassing the holistic perspective on development Community Economic and Social Development (Hons. BA) program: encompassing the holistic perspective on development Interdisciplinary program Interdisciplinary program Developed a ‘learning community’ to facilitate completion by Indigenous learners Developed a ‘learning community’ to facilitate completion by Indigenous learners Developed alternative delivery formats to improve access by learners Developed alternative delivery formats to improve access by learners Accreditation by Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers’ (CANDO ) Accreditation by Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers’ (CANDO )

6. First Nations’ Reality First Nations have been and continue to be on the margins of society. First Nations have been and continue to be on the margins of society. We have been blocked from accessing resources to sustain our economies We have been blocked from accessing resources to sustain our economies We have not enjoyed the same level of prosperity as most Canadians We have not enjoyed the same level of prosperity as most Canadians

7. Reality We are faced with individual and systemic racism and discrimination We are faced with individual and systemic racism and discrimination Has created significant social, economic, political and cultural problems Has created significant social, economic, political and cultural problems Development in First Nations is motivated by the need to address socio-economic conditions regardless of the sector Development in First Nations is motivated by the need to address socio-economic conditions regardless of the sector

8. First Nations’ Development Difficult to address the causes of social and health problems until we address poverty Difficult to address the causes of social and health problems until we address poverty Difficult to encourage education and training when there are no jobs Difficult to encourage education and training when there are no jobs Difficult to develop our economies if we do not have healthy and skilled workers. Difficult to develop our economies if we do not have healthy and skilled workers.

9. Development We cannot help our environment if our culture is lost. We cannot help our environment if our culture is lost. Addressing our social and economic needs, while a new concept just being examined in mainstream – is what we have always done. Addressing our social and economic needs, while a new concept just being examined in mainstream – is what we have always done.

10. First Nations’ Social Economy Mainstream – groups establish non-profits and cooperatives; do not require local government approval Mainstream – groups establish non-profits and cooperatives; do not require local government approval First Nation - entrenched need to involve First Nation local government First Nation - entrenched need to involve First Nation local government Result – while initiatives may have been grassroots driven – becomes an initiative of the “public sector” Result – while initiatives may have been grassroots driven – becomes an initiative of the “public sector” Restricted access to resources for private sector development – result reliance on local “public sector” to develop Restricted access to resources for private sector development – result reliance on local “public sector” to develop

11. First Nations’ “Social Enterprises” Local level Local level Building Supply Cooperative Building Supply Cooperative Fuel Operators Cooperative Fuel Operators Cooperative Education and Training non-profits Education and Training non-profits Economic Development corporations Economic Development corporations Regional Regional Child Welfare Agencies Cultural Foundations Tribal Council’s Credit Unions

12. Challenges Relationships between social enterprise governance and First Nation governance and community members Relationships between social enterprise governance and First Nation governance and community members Population size Population size Community locations and knowledge of local successful social enterprises Community locations and knowledge of local successful social enterprises Lack of familiarity with not-for-profits and cooperatives Lack of familiarity with not-for-profits and cooperatives

13. PROPAGANDA, YES or NO?

14. SOCIAL ECONOMY QUESTIONS ? Economy as an Objective or as an instrument? Economy as an Objective or as an instrument? Economy as a variable of life ? Or Life as a variable of economics? Economy as a variable of life ? Or Life as a variable of economics? Local economy and global economy? Local economy and global economy? Social economy as a dual dynamic ?: Indigenous model and colonizer model Social economy as a dual dynamic ?: Indigenous model and colonizer model

15. Genocide, Ecocide and Ethnocide for accumulation ANALYSIS FROM INDIGENOUS IN COLOMBIA Life Under Threat DeathProject Life LifeProjects “Being to Accummulate” Accumulate to be Life as an end SIEGE For wealth In Colombia, Latin-America and the World Global Popular Resistance Web of Autonomies and Life Plans

16. YES to LIFE...