Aki Energy: A Case Study of Aboriginal Social Enterprise

J. Arno Sharpe

doi:10.29173/jaed376

Authors

J. Arno Sharpe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/jaed376

Keywords:

Assimilation, Business And Economics, Case studies, Connectivity, Councils, Dependency theory, Economic development, Employment, Energy, Ethnic Interests, Indigenous peoples, Mission statements, Native North Americans, Renewable energy, Renewable resources, Unemployment, Aki Energy, Aboriginal social enterprise, Indigenous Social Enterprise, Indigenous, First Nations social enterprise, First Nations businesses, First Nations economic leadership

Abstract

This case study is an exploration of AKI ENERGY, an Aboriginal social enterprise based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Aki Energy's vision includes a future for Canada's Aboriginal people built on community economic development and renewable energy. A discussion of Aki Energy's activities requires that confronting a number of issues, including: archaic regulatory models, development's historic relationship with assimilation, the often misunderstood niche that social enterprise occupies, and the necessity for development to alleviate some of the economic issues facing Canada's Aboriginal peoples. To understand Aki Energy's perspective, Mr. Shaun Loney, Aki Energy's director of development, was interviewed.

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