Canadian first nation community economic development planning: key factors for success

• Main Author: Manuel, Collette D.
• Other Authors: Robinson, Michael P.
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Environmental Design 2007
• Subjects: Canada; Indian; First Nations
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1880/102516; https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/1515

Bibliography: p. 80-83 Some pages are in colour. Prepared in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Masters of Environmental Design (Planning) Degree in the Faculty of E nvironmental Design, The University of Calgary. First Nations in Canada desire to design sustainable socio-economic development strategies to create positive change that will lead to improvements in their socioeconomic conditions. It is a goal of all First Nations people to move forward so they can become self-determining, by overcoming the sole dependency on federal decentralization programs. Some First Nations are realizing success by integrating their own unique community development approach with federal decentralization programs to create optimum conditions for themselves. The research is intended to provide First Nations and INAC with a self assessment tool known as the Community Capacity Index (from the composite indicators and respective sub indicators) to measure socio-economic development. The composite indicators came primarily from the "Harvard Study on Indian Eco nomic Development" and the "Strategically Positioned First Nation", both comprehensive studies that provided knowledge about First Nations soc io-economic conditions. The composite indicators are: governance, economic growth strategy, internal capacity, respect/ incorporation of language and culture. The 27 sub-indicators were developed from these comprehensive pieces of research, other notable research, and finally, from case studies from successful First Nations across Canada. First Nation communities that have received Economic Developers of the Year from CANDO, a National Aboriginal Organization, are examined. The examination of the nine First Nation communities looks at how these communities rated in terms of the Community Capacity Index. The analysis of this data shows that internal capacity is the focus in their development strategies. Economic growth was rated second, while respect / incorporation of culture was rated third, and finally, governance was ...