News & Updates Press Release
For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE April 22, 2014 I DO BUSINESS. Summits engage Aboriginal entrepreneurs across Ontario Woodville, ON (April 22, 2014) – So often an organization gets caught up in the next step, next deadline, or next project that successes that were achieved, are often overlooked. I DO BUSINESS. in partnership with Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) recently completed a province-wide delivery of ‘community summits’ which supported the development of Aboriginal success and business capacity, and entrepreneurship. In 2013, we hosted with great success the first bi-annual I DO BUSINESS. National Summit & Tradeshow in Toronto, ON on March 4,5,6; engaging over 160 individuals from coast to coast to coast. The positive response to the Summit led to the development of 10 Community Summits, supported by the Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities (MCTU) and FedNor; I DO BUSINESS. and NAN worked together to develop the Summits with the mandate of sharing knowledge, skills, and resources for better business with Aboriginal entrepreneurs. “The community summits held by I DO BUSINESS. are one of the platforms we can use to build our capacity from within, and encourage economic diversification,” Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit comments. “The summits bring like-minded First Nation people together, and together we will improve Aboriginal success in business and entrepreneurship.” The first summit was held in the NAN territory at Chapleau Cree First Nation and it served as the model for a successful summit engaging over 30 participants from three First Nations including Chapleau Cree First Nation, Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation and Brunswick House First Nation. Today, we are proud to announce that we have just delivered our 13th summit in Ontario and have impacted over 400 emerging and existing Aboriginal entrepreneurs from over 40 First Nations throughout Ontario. “(It) was a great experience for those who participated,” Vivian Bird, Education and Economic Board Member of Constance Lake First Nation, comments on the significance of the event in the community, “The spirit of entrepreneurship is definitely in our community. It was great to see presenters share their knowledge. The format of the summit provided an opportunity for participants to engage in the summit. Kudos to I DO BUSINESS. for bringing the summit to our community and also to the organizers in Constance Lake.” We want to thank our partner NAN for all their support, time and drive; our funders MTCU and FedNor for their continued support of the work we are doing; and a big thank you to the 13 Aboriginal Organizations and over 40 First Nations that welcomed us and worked with us including: Chapleau Cree First Nation, Moose Factory & Wakenagun CFDC, Constance Lake First Nation, Nipissing First Nation, Beausoleil First Nation, N’swakmok Native Frienship Centre – Sudbury, Ininew Friendship Centre – Cochrane, Sioux Hudson Literacy Centre – Sioux Lookout, Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve, Municipality of Sioux Lookout, North Bay Indian Friendship Centre, Kenamatewin Native Learning Centre, and Oneida Nation of the Thames. Please see the backgrounder information available upon request in regards to NAN, FedNor, I DO BUSINESS. and MTCU. For more information on this announcement please contact Mark Clearwater, Project Coordinator at 705-432-3166. -42-
|