The National Indigenous Economic Development Board Celebrates 30 Years

The National Indigenous Economic Development Board is celebrating more than 30 years of service since its establishment in 1990 via the release of a retrospective video.

Over the past 30 years and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the NIEDB has committed to its vision of developing policies to sustain a prosperous Indigenous economy throughout the country and beyond.

In addition to advising the federal government, the National Board has released a variety of research and policy analysis papers on Indigenous economic development, and has hosted forums and roundtables to continue the conversation.

“The strength of the Board are that we are all Indigenous leaders. All of us are Indigenous. Whether it’s First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, we bring our backgrounds and our grassroots problems and issues and concerns to the Board. We all speak from our own personal experience. We all have great ideas of what’s important for us moving forward to make good policy recommendations to the government because we’ve lived it firsthand.”

Hilda Broomfield Letemplier, Member of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board

There is still much work to do, and the post-pandemic era presents many difficulties, particularly for Indigenous communities and businesses, but it also represents a prime opportunity for Indigenous peoples, communities, and businesses to take their rightful place within Canada’s economic future. When Indigenous communities prosper, so do the regions around them.

Produced by Matt LeMay (formerly Filmmaker-in-Residence with Canadian Geographic), this video provides an overview of the work of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board and a glimpse at the dynamic personalities who make up its membership. Matt LeMay is an award-winning Métis filmmaker from Pembroke, Ontario (https://www.lemaymedia.net/).

30 years ago, a First Nations person couldn’t even go in and get a loan. You had to have a band guarantee. We wanted, as communities, some capacity and some control. Access to capital was one of the major things and also more control in the decision making. The Board, I think its greatest strength is the makeup of the number of the participants because we get a perspective from across Canada. We understand that we’re all different.

Ruth Williams, Member of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board

Full Press Release

Long Version of Video