Aboriginal tourism high on minister's agenda

Page 11

A 13-member Aboriginal Tourism Advisory Council was announced on June 28.

This new council, appointed by Alberta Economic Development Minister Clint Dunford, will provide ongoing advice to Dunford about ideas that will expand the Aboriginal tourism industry in Alberta.

Dunford said council member appointments came after a long selection process that took geographic representation into account. Dunford is confident each of the Alberta regions has been covered.

The members of the Aboriginal Tourism Advisory Council include Chief Victor Buffalo of Samson Cree Nation, Chief Strater Crowfoot of Siksika; Chief Ernest Wesley of Wesley First Nation; Henry Arcand of Alexander First Nation; Stan Delorme of Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement; Gary Gairdner of St. Albert; Donna Lajeunesse of Grande Prairie; Eric Nystrom of Rocky Mountain House; Archie Waquan of Mikisew Cree First Nation and Fern Welch of Grouard.

It is Dunford's hope the voluntary council stays in tact once the Cabinet does their next shuffle.

Dunford said he wants the council to present ideas directly because he doesn't want their efforts filtered through 'white men's mouths, words and eyes.'

"I was very persistent that if we are going to go through with this council that it had to be the Aboriginal people telling us and not us telling them what we need," said Dunford.

Dunford said domestic and international guests travel in and around Alberta and this continues to increase. During a recent visit to Germany, Dunford said he learned that people would like to see more Aboriginal activities, rather than just go to Banff and seeing the mountains.

"I think there is enough evidence there that shows that I'm making a wise decision in going through with this committee," said Dunford.

The first meeting of the council will take place in Edmonton, either in late August or in early September. Future meetings would be held in a particular area that might be a tourism attraction so that the committee can see for themselves what is being talked about. According to the tourism council mandate, there will be at least three meetings a year.

It is estimated that 1,000 Aboriginal enterprises today exist to welcome visitors looking for experiences like sleeping in longhouses or tipis, going to powwows, making moccasins, learning First Nations languages or just observing and absorbing the diverse Native cultures in the province. And the interest is growing.

"I want this to work," said Dunford. "My vision of Alberta is diversification and not just with oil and gas. But when I look at diversification on the tourism side, I want Aboriginals with me. I know this is the right thing because if we do the type of work that I think we are capable of doing then it would be pretty clear that something like this should continue and I want us to continue."