Aboriginal Aboriginal Perspectives on the Perspectives on the

Social EconomySocial Economy

By:By: Alice CorbiereAlice Corbiere Rosalind Johnston Rosalind Johnston

JosJosé A. Reyesé A. Reyes CESD

Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation

1.1. Why not the social economy?Why not the social economy? Contrasting worldviewsContrasting worldviews Developing a holistic responseDeveloping a holistic response

2.2. Expanding the definition of the social economy Expanding the definition of the social economy

3. Indigenous perspectives beyond Canadian 3. Indigenous perspectives beyond Canadian bordersborders

Community Economic and Community Economic and Social DevelopmentSocial Development

Applying a holistic worldview to Applying a holistic worldview to ‘economic development‘economic development ’’

Applying a Holistic Worldview to Applying a Holistic Worldview to DevelopmentDevelopment

N. – physical - economic

E.- spiritual – cultural

S. – emotional - social

W. – mental – legal/political

Addressing People’s Needs Addressing People’s Needs HolisticallyHolistically

Community Economic and Social Development (Hons. Community Economic and Social Development (Hons. BA) program: encompassing the holistic perspective on BA) program: encompassing the holistic perspective on developmentdevelopment

Interdisciplinary programInterdisciplinary program Developed a ‘learning community’ to facilitate completion Developed a ‘learning community’ to facilitate completion

by Indigenous learnersby Indigenous learners Developed alternative delivery formats to improve access Developed alternative delivery formats to improve access

by learnersby learners Accreditation by Council for the Advancement of Native Accreditation by Council for the Advancement of Native

Development Officers’ (CANDODevelopment Officers’ (CANDO))

First Nations’ RealityFirst Nations’ Reality

First Nations have been and continue to be on the First Nations have been and continue to be on the margins of society.margins of society.

We have been blocked from accessing resources to We have been blocked from accessing resources to sustain our economiessustain our economies

We have not enjoyed the same level of prosperity as We have not enjoyed the same level of prosperity as most Canadiansmost Canadians

RealityReality We are faced with individual and systemic racism We are faced with individual and systemic racism

and discrimination and discrimination

Has created significant social, economic, political Has created significant social, economic, political and cultural problems and cultural problems

Development in First Nations is motivated by the Development in First Nations is motivated by the need to address socio-economic conditions need to address socio-economic conditions regardless of the sectorregardless of the sector

First Nations’ DevelopmentFirst Nations’ Development

Difficult to address the causes of social and health Difficult to address the causes of social and health problems until we address povertyproblems until we address poverty

Difficult to encourage education and training when Difficult to encourage education and training when there are no jobsthere are no jobs

Difficult to develop our economies if we do not have Difficult to develop our economies if we do not have healthy and skilled workers.healthy and skilled workers.

DevelopmentDevelopment

We cannot help our environment if our culture is lost.We cannot help our environment if our culture is lost.

Addressing our social and economic needs, while a Addressing our social and economic needs, while a new concept just being examined in mainstream – is new concept just being examined in mainstream – is what we have always done.what we have always done.

First Nations’ Social EconomyFirst Nations’ Social Economy Mainstream – groups establish non-profits and Mainstream – groups establish non-profits and

cooperatives; do not require local government cooperatives; do not require local government approvalapproval

First Nation - entrenched need to involve First Nation First Nation - entrenched need to involve First Nation local governmentlocal government

Result – while initiatives may have been grassroots Result – while initiatives may have been grassroots driven – becomes an initiative of the “public sector”driven – becomes an initiative of the “public sector”

Restricted access to resources for private sector Restricted access to resources for private sector development – result reliance on local “public sector” development – result reliance on local “public sector” to developto develop

First Nations’ “Social First Nations’ “Social Enterprises”Enterprises”

Local levelLocal level Building Supply Building Supply

CooperativeCooperative Fuel Operators Fuel Operators

CooperativeCooperative Education and Training Education and Training

non-profitsnon-profits Economic Development Economic Development

corporationscorporations

Regional Regional Child Welfare Child Welfare

AgenciesAgencies Cultural FoundationsCultural Foundations Tribal Council’s Tribal Council’s Credit UnionsCredit Unions

ChallengesChallenges Relationships between social enterprise Relationships between social enterprise

governance and First Nation governance and governance and First Nation governance and community memberscommunity members

Population sizePopulation size Community locations and knowledge of local Community locations and knowledge of local

successful social enterprisessuccessful social enterprises Lack of familiarity with not-for-profits and Lack of familiarity with not-for-profits and

cooperativescooperatives

PROPAGANDA, YES or NO?PROPAGANDA, YES or NO?

SOCIAL ECONOMY SOCIAL ECONOMY QUESTIONS ?QUESTIONS ?

Economy as an Objective or as an Economy as an Objective or as an instrument?instrument?

Economy as a variable of life ? Or Life as Economy as a variable of life ? Or Life as a variable of economics?a variable of economics?

Local economy and global economy?Local economy and global economy? Social economy as a dual dynamic ?: Social economy as a dual dynamic ?:

Indigenous model and colonizer modelIndigenous model and colonizer model

Genocide, Ecocide and Ethnocide for accumulation

ANALYSIS FROM INDIGENOUS IN COLOMBIAANALYSIS FROM INDIGENOUS IN COLOMBIA

Life Under Threat

Death Death

ProjectProject

LifeLife

ProjectsProjects

“Being to Accummulate”

Accumulate to be

Life as an end

SIEGE

For wealth

In Colombia, Latin-America and the World

Global Popular Resistance

Web of Autonomies and Life Plans

YES to LIFE . . .