I have the luxury of working with First Nation leadership as CEO & Executive Director since 2000 & learning the socio-economic benefits & opportunities that lie within First Nations. But there is a barrier & an obstacle that most cannot penetrate & this stops many from moving forward to prosperous & profitable gains on both sides! Yet they all want the same thing but to get there, there are steps that are necessary to ensure that each side's interests are taken into account. The partnership (not a joint venture) must be tight & fully understood and agreed to have a conflict resolution component as part of the partnership. "All or nothing" strategies & grand standing gets nowhere fast! How do you win, how do I win, how does she win, how does he win & how do they win, that's the focus in all the strategies and partnerships but no one can tell you how to win or for you to tell someone how to win, that is the balance that counts in the end. Harvesting the natural resources whether it's mining, forestry, fisheries or hydro, it doesn't matter, there are ways to get it done. there are certain things that must be negotiated to make it work! Greed is the biggest obstacle. Misunderstandings of the processes, ratio of ownerships & partnerships can be detrimental but it doesn't have to be that way! Many times, leaders are told to walk away because one or two people tell them to walk away because of greed or a misunderstanding of process & outcomes in the partnership. The crucial thing is to identify the most influential people & work with those people to find the solution to the obstacle! Those persona must be well respected & have a good reputation in working for the people! Someone who is trustworthy! Always be ready to talk about the First Nations treaties but be fully aware that this in itself is a powerful topic that can kill any deal! But it doesn't have to be that way if you understand the treaty & how you are a treaty person. Wanna know more? Call me!