Gwaii Trust Newsletter Vol.2,No.4,Jul.98


Analyzing the Past, Forging the Future
Chair Miles Richardson Jr. heads up the task of strategic planning and revising the Gwaii Trust Business Plan. Q: The Gwaii Trust is in the process of revising its Business Plan. Some Trust directors met with their constituents to seek input into the future direction of the Society. What are the directors hearing from the public? A: Each director is responsible for consulting with his/her constituents. The directors will bring forward the issues and the board, as a whole, will address them through the strategic planning process and incorporate any changes into a revised business plan. There are three stages to this strategic plan. Firstly, we looked at where we've been. Then we analyzed our experience over the four years of the Gwaii Trust. The second stage is the community consultation. Each director has a formal consultation with his/her constituents. It's up to each director to decide when and how to conduct that consultation effectively. Once that's completed and our objective is to complete that by June 26 we move into the third phase, which is the strategic plan. This is where we look at any issues that need consideration and any new directions required. We put these ideas into a planning format and begin laying out options for the future. Part of that will be to formulate options and make amendments and revisions to the business plan. Q: One of the early goals of the Trust was to advance sustainable development on the Islands. However, many of the funding proposals are for short-term items like software packages for schools. How is the Trust going to address the building of long-term economic, social and cultural benefits for the Islands? A: This needs the attention of the communities now. The discussions to date have been primarily concerned with managing the existing package of programs. Now the main items are up for discussion in the strategic planning process. Looking back over the last four years, we're going to be looking at some of the fundamental principles and objectives that the Gwaii Trust was established for, such as sustainable development. And we're going to be looking at how we've done in meeting those objectives. Q: There has been discussion at the board level about dividing Gwaii Trust funding between the Haida and the non-Haida, also known as the 50/50 split. What is your position on this issue? A: The Gwaii Trust was established to reflect a reality that there was Haida and non-Haida political constituencies on these islands while trying to balance the necessity of government-to-government relationship between the Haida, Canada and British Columbia with the desire to work together as Island communities. We're trying to balance those, that's what the board structure is all about. The Gwaii Trust is also about joining, about using what opportunities and desires exist to join together in pursuit of Island-wide objectives. If that can be accomplished with every penny in the Trust that's	"The Gwaii Trust was established to reflect a reality-- that there was Haida and non-Haida political constituencies on these Islands while trying to balance the necessity of government-to-government relationship between the Haida, Canada and British Columbia with the desire to work together as Island com-munities." - Myles Richardson Jr. wonderful but, if it can't, there needs to be an understanding of how the respective constituents Haida and non-Haida are going to address this. The Gwaii Trust is one of the solutions to defining and working together on common Island-wide directions. But to get ahead of that evolution might be artificial and harmful. The objective is there today. If the Gwaii Trust board agreed on Island objectives for every cent of that fund, that's an option now. "As an Islands community we have to take a hard analytical look at where we stand and where we want to go. We need to use this opportunity of the Gwaii Trust to prudently retool our economy." Q: What are the top three issues that you are going to address in the coming year? A: For the board, generally those issues will come out of the strategic planning process. For me, as chair, the number one issue is to ensure that the review of the past activities of the Gwaii Trust and setting a new direction is undertaken with the full participation of the people of the Islands. There are going to be some tough decisions to be made but people who want to have a say must have the opportunity to have a say. Second, the Islands economy is going through some fundamental structural changes. What I mean is, you can't continue to cut trees at the rate we are, the fish are not as abundant as they once were. But there are other opportunities out there including tourism and the prospect of some manufacturing or value-added activities on Haida Gwaii. As an Islands community we have to take a hard analytical look at where we stand and where we want to go. We need to use this opportunity of the Gwaii Trust to prudently retool our economy. Third, we need to build constructive and cooperative relationships amongst the Haida and non-Haida based on our common aspirations as an Islands community. ·

BRIEF CASES

· Business ideas have become trade and commerce in Masset these days. Art Lew, general manager of Community Futures, is already juggling 22 potential businesses since opening the doors of the development corporation in May. "We are now processing applications for loans," he says. Successful entrepreneurs looking for financial backing can expect a maximum loan of up to $75,000. Funding is also available for displaced fishermen, youth ventures and entrepreneurs with disabilities. The Community Futures office is housed in the Skills Centre at Masset.

· Want to have a say in the long-term future of the Gwaii Trust Board? Board members are undertaking community consultations throughout the Islands. Watch for notices in your community. The process is expected to be completed by July 16th.

· The Legacy Fund will provide groups with a maximum of three months operational funding to get up and running. Gwaii Trust directors made this policy because the demand for seed money was so high.

· Throw out your old funding application forms. The Trust has new forms for this fiscal year. What you'll find are that some policies have changed. Are the old forms really that different? "In the past we've had a half-dozen organizations apply to the wrong program," responds administrator Cliff Fregin.·

HAIDA NATION ARTS IS BORN

The Council of the Haida Nation logo is the first print to be released under the Haida Nation Arts banner the logo is designed by Robert Davidson.

To finance the activities of the Council
of the Haida Nation, the political leaders are looking to the artists for inspiration. Through Haida Nation Arts, a number of projects were developed including a Haida artist bank, where artists can list their work, a system of tags and stickers used to authenticate Haida art as made by Haida artists, and the hiring of coordinator April Churchill Davis to oversee the purchase, production and sale of limited edition prints. A web site, featuring selected Haida artists and their work, is also under construction at http:www//haidanation.com.

The story begins last summer when CHN offered to provide the marketing muscle to emerging Haida artists in return for using their images on products from limited edition prints to caps, totes and T-shirts. A juried art show was held in Skidegate to bring up-and-coming artists on board. The call for submissions was answered by 27 entries and a core of established artists Guujaaw, Git'sga, Jim Hart and Reg Davidson were conscripted as judges. Three winners were chosen based on the merits of theme, artistic expression and technique. When the dust cleared, Tim Boyko (Salmon War), Don Varnell (The Gathering), and Dolores Davis (Haida Art and Culture) each won a purchase award of $1,000 and the honour of seeing their work produced as a limited edition print.

So far, a print of the Council of Haida Nation logo by internationally recognized artist Robert Davidson has been released with the logo adorning t-shirts and sweat-shirts.

Churchill Davis, who is also an artist living in Old Massett, says Boyko's print is next in line. "We're now concentrating our efforts on getting our prints and brochures out into retail shops," she said. ·

The Kids are Alright

Peter Lantin and Alyssa King are spending the summer asking the BIG questions. Questions like: How do we make the Islands a happening place for young people? The Gwaii Trust hired these two local University of Victoria students to poll the youth of today to find out what role the Trust can play. After blanketing the islands with questionnaires, the coordinators were told that teen-centered events should be given top priority. The next issue of The Trust is dedicated to this dynamic program. ·

QUESTIONS
&
ANSWERS

Robin Brown - Council of the
Haida Nation, Massett

What experience do you bring to the Board?

I have a knowledge of these Islands that comes from being a commercial fisherman for 49 years. I've been the owner of many boats and presently own three gillnetters. I've sat on the CHN board at different times (1980-97) for a total of eight years, and have sat on the Co-op board for nine years.

Since the early 1960s, I have been involved with the athletics club in Massett Village. I've been married for 42 years and have three boys and two girls.

What does the Gwaii Trust do for the Islands?

We didn't have any other economic opportunities prior to this, except the government. It's a nice set up for all people on the Islands. We're doing the best with the dollars we're supplied with at this given time. In the future, we hope there will be more money to give away. ·

Schooling with Dollars

The Post Secondary Bursary Program was created to encourage Grade 12 students to continue their education by providing a financial incentive to assist in off-setting the post-secondary expenses. Each graduate is eligible for a grant of $1,000 per year to a maximum of five years.

The Mature Student Bursary Program considers mature students enrolled in accredited post-secondary institutions. There are seven bursaries of $1,000 each available each year. Application deadline is July 31.

The Gwaii Trust at work. The renovation of the Old Hall at Skidegate was funded in part from the Infrastructure Fund of the Gwaii Trust.

	The Newsletter of the Gwaii Trust Society

	Volume 2, Number 4 - July 1998