Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Capacity building is visionary at McLeod Lake Indian Band

McLeod Lake Indian Band, north of Prince George, B.C., is building investment and employment capacity for their Tse'khene members in a variety of industrious directions, "It started way before I came along," says Chief Derek Orr, (elected 2008), and, he says, economic development initiatives of MLIB are especially evident since MLIB joined the Treaty 8 groups of First Nations.
    
History shows MLIB began coming into its own prior to 1987 when leaders advised the Canadian Government of their intention to join Treaty 8. This move was made after a forestry  company, Duz Cho Logging, begun in the early 80's, produced enough profits to hire legal counsel and negotiate McLeod Lake’s adhesion to Treaty 8 with Canada.
    
As economic capacity grew, MLIB created Duz Cho Construction in 2002 to work in the oil and gas and coal industries of north eastern B.C.. A lobby effort with oil companies garnered the construction company its first contracts and Duz Cho Construction was profitable by the middle of the decade. Acting further on the growing oil and gas activity in North-East B.C., MLIB made a major share purchase of  Summit Pipeline Services Ltd.. 
    
Summit constructs pipelines, conducts diagnostic and repair services for pipelines, municipal sewer systems, pulp mills and other industries. MLIB in the most recent context has business development programs to assist MLIB members gain skills and establish business ventures. They are doing so with owner-operated equipment, forestry, construction, steel sales and fabrication, and business in the accommodation of work crews. 
    
Having members working in the surrounding traditional territory is not new because these lands and waters once provided abundant harvests of fur and wild game to Tse'Khene people. The key is to build a capacity to do the changing nature of work, "We targeted seven or eight members who were mentored and encouraged to join the effort at building the capacity for McLeod Lake Indian Band to participate in industrial development."
    
MLIB endured the toughest year in recent history, especially tough for a new chief, youngest in their history at age 35. "It's been one and a half years since I have been able to give members any good news. A lot of community services for youth and elders were put on hold while the world economy battered the financial stability of MLIB."
    
The MLIB operations are back in high gear and the Band is looking closely at the coming opportunities in mining, regarding Terrane Metals Mt. Milligan project in Mackenzie, B.C.. This gold/copper mine could provide good jobs and new business opportunities within their traditional territory. 
    
MLIB is working closely with Mt. Milligan Copper/Gold Mine, "We are working to ensure jobs, business contracts, revenue-sharing, and environmental monitoring. We have a Memorandum of Understanding with Mt. Milligan Mine to provide environmental monitoring at the mine site. It's important because we have a huge demand for services on reserve," says the Chief.
    
"Housing and facilities for youth are in short supply. We have people who wish to live in McLeod Lake but instead live in Prince George, Williams Lake, or Vancouver. We need more facilities in Prince George to provide services to our members who live there." Youth can choose from a variety of directions to plan a career, in jobs that work for the benefit of all Tse'Khene.
    
The MLIB elders need a facility that provides health and accommodation but remains within traveling distance, so the Band is making plans for a multi-plex that accommodates extended living and assisted living in Mackenzie, B.C.. 
    
MLIB has further opportunities for members to enter the mainstream economy in creative ways like green energy projects in wind energy (Dokie Wind/Plutonic). In fact, Mortenson Construction has begun the process of constructing the first elements of a major wind farm facility.
    
The Dokie Wind Project includes 48 Vestas V90 wind turbines, a switch-yard and transmission lines at a total project cost of $228 million. The Dokie project is on-time and on-budget and represents Plutonic Power's first wind project. Upon completion, it will be the largest wind farm in British Columbia. 
    
Mortenson Canada Corporation is a leading North American wind energy contractor, and uses a mix of their own personnel, local hires, and local subcontractors. The Dokie Ridge area - near Chetwynd, BC - is considered to be one of BC's best wind power assets in terms of generation potential. 
    
The existing network of provincial roads, logging roads, and rail corridors is ideal for transporting the turbine components which can weigh as much as 70 metric tones. This project will deliver 333,000 megawatt-hours per year of clean electricity to BC Hydro, commencing on March 1, 2011, under a 25-year EPA, through a partnership between Plutonic Power and GE Energy Financial Services.
    
Chief Orr says MLIB also has plans for additional community infrastructure that includes an indoor ice-skating rink.
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