Economic development group gets active

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GRAND CENTRE - The newly-formed Cold Lake Native Economic Development Society has moved quickly into action by sponsoring its first information seminar June

18 and 19 in Grand Centre.

Registered as a society in April, its specific goals are to gather and provide funding to start up local Native businesses, provide assistance in managerial capacities and provide a liaison between government, local agencies and potential employers. The seminar was funded by the Native Secretariat and organized to offer local Native entrepreneurs and interested individuals the opportunity to get first-hand information on the availability of programs, services and opportunities to develop businesses.

Resource people who responded to the invitation to speak at the seminar included representatives of the federal Native Economic Development Program (NEDP), the Northern Development Subsidiary Agreement, Native Secretariat, the Business Development Systems, (BDS). In attendance as observers were representatives of local Oil Sands Advisory Committee. Chairman Garth Leask is also a staff member of the Esso Resources plant near Cold Lake.

A major issue raised by the participant was the lack of money to post a bond. Small contractors voiced the opinion that unless a means was made available to them to obtain bonding, they would not be able to bid on contracts and thereby miss out on oppoortunities available in the marketplace. The secondary problem of proper bidding procedures was also raised. Without a working knowledge of correct bidding form, contractors automatically were not considered when major jobs were put out on tender. Chairman Leask responded to this by suggesting Esso Resources as well as the other oil companies represented, had recognized this problem and would be open to the possibility of providing resource personnel to train Native contractors in bidding and bonding procedures. "This idea would be looked into," he said.

Adding to the question of bonding, Bill Sorbey, of the Indian Affairs Economic Development Branch informed the meeting a system of bonding for Native contractors had been recently designed and should be in place by the end of June.

By far the presentation given by Frank Syms of the NEDP elicited the most interest. Describing the program, Syms explained the federal government had designated $345 million for the program whose mandate is to use the money to develop economic self-reliance among Canada's Native people. A Native-controlled advisory board has been appointed to oversee the operation of the four-year program and to advise the minister, Andre Bisonnette, on which specific proposals merit assistance. The programs basic objectives, Syms said, are to increase the number of Native enterprises and access to existing economic development resources in the private and public sector and to increase and strengthen projects at the community level which have potential to become commercially successful.

A recurrent problem that was voiced was the lack of knowledge of the basic format of developing a proposal that would qualify for funding from the various groups in attendance. While it was pointed out there were many services in place to assist potential business people it was also recognized most of these services were located in Edmonton and an individual just starting out did not have the financial means to either telephone long distance or travel the miles involved in seeking assistance on a regular, on-going basis.

Society president Ray Desjardin, pointed out this was one of the prime reasons

the society had been formed and had hoped to establish an office in the area but in all the presentations, there were no guidelines open where funding for such an office would be available.

Of all the invited speakers, only the Regional Development Council out of Lac La Biche failed to attend.

During the seminar, a wealth of brochures, pamphlets and application forms and procedures explaining business opportunites and management assistance were available including the in-depth Native Business Directory of Alberta published by BANAC.