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Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...

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A P P E N D I X B : T H E P O L I C Y E N V I R O N M E N T ~Key Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Economic Development Programmes• The prov<strong>in</strong>ce does not have any direct <strong>Aborig<strong>in</strong>al</strong>/Inuit economic developmentpolicies. The <strong>Aborig<strong>in</strong>al</strong>s are eligible <strong>for</strong> any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> current economic developmentprojects <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>ce. They are also represented on <strong>the</strong> regional economicdevelopment boards <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir respective zones.• The Department <strong>of</strong> Development and Rural Renewal has divided <strong>the</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>in</strong>totwenty economic zones. In each zone <strong>the</strong>re is a regional economic development board,which facilitates <strong>the</strong> development and economic opportunities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> zone. The boardis <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> co-ord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g body between <strong>the</strong> communities, local development groups,bus<strong>in</strong>ess, labour, education and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g groups, and <strong>the</strong> federal and prov<strong>in</strong>cialgovernments. 4• In May 1999, <strong>the</strong> Labrador Inuit Association, <strong>the</strong> Government <strong>of</strong> Newfoundland, andDIAND signed an Agreement <strong>in</strong> Pr<strong>in</strong>ciple (AIP) regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Inuit Land Claim. TheAIP is a significant step toward Inuit and Innu self-government, and <strong>the</strong> beneficialshar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> economic development among all parties. The agreement <strong>in</strong>cludes details<strong>of</strong> land quantum, resource revenue shar<strong>in</strong>g, and self-government. 5• The Strategic Enterprise Development Fund is designed to help firms engaged <strong>in</strong>strategic growth <strong>in</strong>dustries, particularly those <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g potential <strong>for</strong> export (e.g.,aquaculture, environmental <strong>in</strong>dustries, knowledge-based <strong>in</strong>dustries, value-addedmanufacturers). Seven million dollars has been committed to <strong>the</strong> fund over <strong>the</strong>course <strong>of</strong> two years. This fund helps to assist small- and medium-sized bus<strong>in</strong>essestake advantage <strong>of</strong> emerg<strong>in</strong>g opportunities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>cial economy. To date, <strong>the</strong>rehave been five hundred <strong>in</strong>vestments, which have helped to create thirty-five hundredjobs. This fund helps to provide loans that may not be available from conventionallenders and o<strong>the</strong>r sources <strong>of</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess f<strong>in</strong>ance. 6• The Strategic Social Plan was released <strong>in</strong> August 1998 and will be phased <strong>in</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g1998–2000. This framework <strong>for</strong> social development identifies specific directions,processes, and outcomes to guide <strong>the</strong> long-term actions <strong>of</strong> government. Among itsstrategic directions is <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>of</strong> social and economic development. The planis be<strong>in</strong>g used as a means to organize current programmes, and although <strong>the</strong>re is noactual dollar amount allotted to it, fund<strong>in</strong>g will be channelled through already exist<strong>in</strong>gprogrammes.4 http://www.gov.nf.ca/drr/ddrr.htm5 http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/1999/exec/0510n01.htm6http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/1998/drr/smallbus.html178 ~ M C P H A I L

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