Native business leaders will congregate in Vancouver next week as part of a forum to discuss partnerships and the reality of doing business with First Nations on First Nations territories.

The N2N Forum (http://nation2nation.ca/) will provide an opportunity to showcase economic and business development priorities from First Nations perspectives. It will also provide a platform for government, industry, business and community leaders to learn about how all players can help address these priorities while working in partnership on resource development throughout British Columbia.

It’s not a question anymore if Aboriginals are doing business. It’s a question of how we do business with Aboriginal people and their Nation. The goal of the Nation2Nation Events is to open up the conversation, invite industry and government, ask questions, and seek the answers together,” said a spokesperson for the conference which is being co-hosted by the BC Assembly of First Nations and supported by the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) and Resource Works.

Maureen Chapman, the acting Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations said the majority of the BC economy is resource based which means economic development intersects with every First Nation in the province.

For decades, Chiefs and First Nations leaders have been calling for greater involvement in the resource enterprises which take place on their territories. In the past decade, more joint-ventures and First Nations owned companies have become active in the construction and operation of new resource businesses,” she said.

For more information on the conference, go to http://nation2nation.ca/