Where Exactly are all the First Nation Businesses?
Interpreting the First Nation Business Environment in Yukon, 2008-2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29173/jaed11Keywords:
Indigenous economic developmentAbstract
The Yukon has one of the fastest growing, albeit smallest, economies in Canada, with an increasing population and a tight labour market. Modern treaties and self-government agreements have empowered First Nations government and Supreme Court decisions and treaty rights secured Indigenous governments a significant place in the resource sector. Yet Yukon First Nation businesspeople are not yet benefiting fully from this positive political and economic situation. This paper explores the underrepresentation of the Yukon First Nation businesspeople in the economy through an exploration of the available data from the Yukon business survey, census of Canada self-employment data and a new national program at Statistics Canada that is working to better define the presence of Indigenous businesses within the national economy. The research shows that work still needs to be done to better support the development of Indigenous businesspeople as they strive to break through the barriers that have left on the margins of the northern economy.
References
Alook, A., Block, S., & Galabuzi, G.E. (2021.) A disproportionate burden: COVID-19 labour market impacts on Indigenous and racialized workers in Canada. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. https://policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/disproportionate-burden.
Anderson, R. B. (1997). Corporate/Indigenous partnerships in economic development: The First Nations in Canada. World Development, 25(9), 1483–1503. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(97)00050-8
Anderson, R.B. (1999). Economic development among the Indigenous peoples in Canada: The hope for the future. Captus Press.
Anderson, R.B. (2003). Indigenous entrepreneurship and business development: Two successful cases. 2003 Conference of the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Victoria.
Anderson, R.B. (2001). Indigenous people, economic development and entrepreneurship. Journal of Indigenous Economic Development, 2(1), 33-42.
Anderson, R.B., & Bone, R.M. (2010). Integrating environmental and social sustainability: Corporations and Indigenous people and the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Journal of Indigenous Economic Development, 5(2), 26-39.
Anderson, R.B., MacAulay, S., Kayseas, B., & Hindle, K. (2006). On their own terms: Indigenous communities, development and the new economy. 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Management, Atlanta. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.3959.3765
Anderson, R.B., Wingham, D.W., Giberson, R.J., & Gibson, B. (2003). Indigenous economic development: A tale of two wineries. Small Enterprise Research, 11(2), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.5172/ser.11.2.49
Anderson, T. (2021). Chapter 4: Indigenous youth in Canada. In Portrait of youth in Canada: Data report (Catalogue No. 42-28-0001). Statistics Canada.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/42-28-0001/2021001/article/00004-eng.htm
Bélanger Baur, A. (2019). Indigenous-owned exporting small and medium enterprises in Canada. Global Affairs Canada & Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.
Bleakney, A., & Melvin, A. (2022). Indigenous women and girls: Socioeconomic conditions in remote communities compared with more accessible areas (Catalogue No. 75-006-x). Statistics Canada.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2022001/article/00005-eng.htm
Bone, R.M. (2003). The geography of the Canadian North: Issues and challenges. Oxford University Press.
Byers, A. (2019, March 30). Visitors flock to Yukon village to see bioenergy system in action. CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/teslin-biomass-world-leader-1.5076284
Caliendo, M., Fossen, F., & Kritikos, A.S. (2014). Personality characteristics and the decisions to become and stay self-employed. Small Business Economics, 42(4), 787–814.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-013-9514-8
Chernoff, A., & Cheung, C. (2023). An overview of the Indigenous economy in Canada. Bank of Canada. https://www.bankofcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/sdp2023-25.pdf
Coates, K. (Host). (2018, September 10). Ep. 14—Pursuing Indigenous and northern prosperity with Ken Coates and Dr. Greg Finnegan [Audio podcast episode]. In Indigenous Affairs program.
Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
Dana, L.P. (2007). A comparison of Indigenous and non-Indigenous enterprise in the Canadian sub-Arctic. International Journal of Business Performance Management, 9(3), 278-286.
https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBPM.2007.013308
Davison, C. M., & Hawe, P. (2012). All that glitters: Diamond mining and Tåîchô youth in Behchokö, Northwest Territories. Arctic, 65(2), 214-228.
Draeger, D.D. (2015). Fade to black? Get the gist on the informal, grey, black, and terrorist economies.
Department of Justice Canada. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/black-noir/black-noir.pdf
de Soto, H. (2000). The mystery of capital: Why capitalism triumphs in the west and fails everywhere
else. Basic Books.
Elliot, J. (2021, May 5). Old Crow is switching to solar. Yukon News.
https://www.yukon-news.com/news/old-crow-is-switching-to-solar-7000993
Finnegan, G., & Djokic, A. (2017). Reassessing the state of First Nations business in Canada: 2011 profile of First Nation self-employment workforce [Unpublished report]. The Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
Forrest, M. (2016, June 3). First Nations development corps looking to invest in the Yukon. Yukon News.
Flanagan, T., Alcantara, C., & Le Dressay, A. (2010). Beyond the Indian Act: Restoring Indigenous property rights. McGill-Queen’s Press.
Government of Canada. (2021a). First Nations.
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013791/1535470872302.
Government of Canada. (2021b.) Indigenous and northern affairs Canada: Transformation.
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100016293/1100100016294.
Government of Yukon. (2023). GAM 2.6 and Yukon First Nations procurement policy. https://yukon.ca/en/procurement-policy
Gueye, B., Lafrance-Cooke, A., & Oyarzun, J. (2022). Identifying Indigenous business owners and Indigenous-owned businesses (Catalogue No. 11-633-X). Statistics Canada.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/11-633-x/11-633-x2022008-eng.pdf?st=aVwK82mN
Hilton, C.A. (2021) Indigenomics: Taking a seat at the economic table. New Society Publishers.
Hindle, K., Kayseas, R., Anderson, R.B., & Giberson, R.G. (2005). Relating practice to theory in Indigenous entrepreneurship: A pilot investigation of the Kitsaki partnership portfolio. American Indian Quarterly, 29(1/2), 1-23.
Hindle, K., & Landsdowne, M. (2005). Brave spirits on new paths: Toward a globally relevant paradigm of Indigenous entrepreneurship research. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 18(2), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2005.10593335
Hobart. C.W. (1982). Inuit employment at the Nanisivik mine on Baffin Island. Etudes Inuit, 6(1), 53-74.
Hobart. C.W. (1989). Native white relationship in a northern oil town re: Norman Wells. The Canadian Journal of Native Studies, 6(2), 223-233.
Hunter, B. (2014). Reflecting on the growth of Indigenous self-employment. Agenda: A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, 21(1), 45-66.
Indigenous and Northern Affairs. (2021). COVID-19 and Indigenous peoples: From crisis towards meaningful change (43rd Parliament, 2nd Session). House of Commons, Government of Canada. https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/43-2/INAN/report-6/.
Jafri, H., & Alasia, A. (2019). A profile of businesses in Indigenous communities in Canada (Catalogue No. 18-001-X). Statistics Canada, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/18-001-x/18-001-x2019002-eng.htm
Jakobsh, K., & Boskov, S. (2020). Breaking barriers: A decade of Indigenous women’s entrepreneurship in Canada. Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub & Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business.
https://wekh.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Breaking_Barriers.pdf
Kayseas, B., Hindle, K., & Anderson, R.B. (2007). An empirically justified theory of successful entrepreneurship: Case study of the Osoyoos Indian band. Fourth AGSE International Entrepreneurship Research Exchange, Brisbane, Australia.
MacIntyre, C. (2022, December 6). White River First Nation’s solar project aims to reduce reliance on diesel power. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/solar-facility-beaver-creeklargest-projec-in-yukon-1.6675120
Minto copper-gold mine, Yukon Territory (2010, August 26). Mining Technology.
https://www.miningtechnology.com/projects/mintomine/
Missens, R., Dana, L.P., Anderson, R. Indigenous partnerships in Canada: Focus on the Diavik Diamond Mine. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 1(1), 54-76. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506200710736267
Morin, P. (2014, June 30). Liard First Nation may be headed to 3rd-party management. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/liard-first-nation-may-be-headed-to-3rd-partymanagement-1.2691526
Moore, K., & Robinson, J. (2022, December 25). A business leader at home in a ‘trapper’s cabin and a corporate boardroom.’ The Globe and Mail. https://www-theglobeandmail-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/business/commentary/article-a-businessleader-
at-home-in-a-trappers-cabin-and-a-corporate/
National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association. (2021). Defining Indigenous businesses in Canada. http://www.naedb-cndea.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/5.-Defining-Indigenous-Businesses-Report_FINAL-English.pdf
National Indigenous Economic Development Board. (2015). The Aboriginal economic progress report.
http://www.naedb-cndea.com/reports/NAEDB-progress-report-june-2015.pdf
Newhouse, D. (2000). The care and support of Aboriginal economies. Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development, 1(2), 73-88.
Nkongolo-Bakenda, J., & Anderson, R.B. (2004). Entrepreneuriat et développement en milieu autochtone: Analyse régulationniste de la Bande Indienne du Lac Là Ronge. 2004 Conference of the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Regina.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2020). Linking Indigenous communities with regional development in Canada.
Peredo, A.M., Schneider, B., & Popa, A.M. (2022). Indigenous entrepreneurial finance: Mapping the landscape with Canadian Evidence. In D. Lingelbach (Ed.), De Gruyter Handbook of Entrepreneurial Finance (pp. 335–358).
De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110726312-022
Polsky, J.Y., & Garriguet, D. (2022). Household food insecurity in Canada early in the COVID-19 pandemic
(Article No. 82-003-X202200200002). Statistics Canada.
https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202200200002-eng
Rodriguez-Lonebear, D., Walter, M., Carroll, S.R., & Kukutai, T. (Eds.). (2021). Indigenous data sovereignty and policy. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429273957.
Statistics Canada. (2011). Custom tabulation of 2011 national household survey: data tables.
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Index-eng.cfm
Statistics Canada. (2013a). NHS Aboriginal profile, 2011 (Catalogue No. 99-011-XWE2011007).
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/aprof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Statistics Canada. (2013b). NHS profile, 2011 (Catalogue no. 99-004-XWE)
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Statistics Canada. (2018). Aboriginal population profile, 2016 census (Catalogue No. 98-510-X2016001).
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/abpopprof/index.cfm?Lang=E.
Statistics Canada. (2021) Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population
&DGUIDlist=2021A00036001&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0
Statistics Canada. (2022a). Table 33-10-0601-01 Private sector business counts by majority ownership, fourth quarter of 2022. https://doi.org/10.25318/3310060101-eng
Statistics Canada. (2022b). Table 33-10-0632-01 Private enterprises by sex and Indigenous identity of ownership, province or region and enterprise size. https://doi.org/10.25318/3310063201-eng
Statistics Canada. (2022c, November 24). Study: Identifying Indigenous business owners and Indigenous owned businesses. The Daily.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221124/dq221124e-eng.pdf
Statistics Canada. (2023a). Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada: confronting challenges, forecasting growth. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/2762-indigenous-owned-businesses-canadaconfronting-challenges-forecasting-growth.
Statistics Canada. (2023b). Table 36-10-0402-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by industry, provinces and territories (x 1,000,000). https://doi.org/10.25318/3610040201-eng
Statistics Canada. (2024a). Accountability under the Statistics Act. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/about/accountability
Statistics Canada. (2024b). Table 14-10-0104-01 Employment by Indigenous group and occupation (x1,000). https://doi.org/10.25318/1410010401-eng
Statistics Canada. (2024c). Table 14-10-0204-01 Average weekly earnings by industry, annual.
https://doi.org/10.25318/1410020401-eng
Statistics Canada. (2024d). Table 14-10-0401-01 Labour force characteristics by detailed Indigenous group, three-month moving averages, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410040101
Taylor, J., & Kukutai, T. (Eds.) (2016). Indigenous data sovereignty: Toward an agenda. ANU Press.
Walter, M., & Andersen, C. (2013.) Indigenous statistics: A quantitative research methodology (1st ed.).
Routledge.
Walter, M., Lovett, R., Maher, B., Williamson, B., Prehn, J., Bodkin-Andrews, G., & Lee, V. (2020). Indigenous data sovereignty in the era of big data and open data. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 56(2), 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.141
Weir, W. I. (2007). First Nation small business and entrepreneurship in Canada. National Centre for First Nations Governance. https://fngovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/First_Nation_Small_Business.pdf
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Yukon business survey, 2008.
http://www.eco.gov.yk.ca/stats/pdf/2008_Business_Survey_Report.pdf
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Yukon business survey, 2009.
https://yukon.ca/fr/enquete-aupres-desentreprises-du-yukon-2009
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2011). Yukon business survey, 2010.
https://yukon.ca/sites/yukon.ca/files/ybs/fin-yukon-business-survey-2010.pdf
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2015). Yukon business survey, 2013.
https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-businesssurvey-2013
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2016). Yukon business survey, 2015.
https://yukon.ca/sites/yukon.ca/files/ybs/fin-yukon-business-survey-2015.pdf
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Yukon business survey, 2017.
https://yukon.ca/fr/enquete-aupres-desentreprises-du-yukon-2017
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2020). Yukon business survey, 2019.
https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-businesssurvey-2019
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Yukon business survey, results by First Nation ownership, 2019.
https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-business-survey-results-first-nation-ownership-2019
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2022a). Population and Dwellings, Census 2021.
https://yukon.ca/en/population-and-dwellings-census-2021
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2022b). Population Report, Q2 2022.
https://yukon.ca/en/populationreport-q2-2022
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2022c). Yukon business survey, 2021.
https://yukon.ca/en/yukon-businesssurvey-2021
Yukon Bureau of Statistics. (2023, March 7). Special tabulation based on Population Report, Q2 2022.
https://yukon.ca/en/population-report-q2-2022
Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce. (n.d.) What is a Yukon First Nations business? Government
of Yukon. https://yukon-first-nations-business-registry.service.yukon.ca/what-is-first-nationbusiness
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Ken Coates, Greg
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.