Ottawa hands out cash for business development

Ivujivik can look forward to a $200,000 boost from the federal government for the construction of its new hotel “which will create full and part-time employment opportunities” — and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada will get nearly $350,000 to help Inuit women get more involved in business.

John Duncan, minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, announced that Ivujivik’s new 16-room hotel and Pauktuutit would benefit from Ottawa’s largesse during the opening of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business’ Aboriginal Entrepreneurs Conference and Tradeshow in Ottawa.

“Strengthening aboriginal entrepreneurship is a key priority of our Government’s Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development,” Duncan said in a news release. “2011 was declared ‘Year of the Entrepreneur’ by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and it certainly has been a year filled with progress. Our government is proud to partner with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and we look forward to working with them, and other partners, to ensure the continued prosperity of aboriginal businesses.”

Duncan’s department is also partnering with Pauktuutit to fund a pilot project that will support Inuit women in business.

Pauktuutit is slated to receive $348,633 for its project called Inuit Women in Business Network.

The money will be used to:

• establish the network;

• create resources to support Inuit entrepreneurship in the North, financial literacy and business development, and

• set up an information sharing web portal and a peer/mentorship program model.

The money also will pay for a national roundtable meeting and for the preparation of an in-depth final report and evaluation.

This new focus on giving out money for business development flows from the Tories’ framework for Aboriginal Economic Development — “a fundamental change to how the federal government supports aboriginal economic development,” the news release says.

The framework will see the federal government putting more emphasis on “on building strategic partnerships with aboriginal groups, the private sector, and the provinces and territories,” it says.


Ottawa wants to improve access to capital, encourage more aboriginal participation in business because “increasing aboriginal participation in the economy and strengthening entrepreneurship creates jobs and improves the well-being and quality of life for aboriginal people, and all of Canada.”