APRIL 2016
H
business elite canada
3
By Rajitha Sivakumaran
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T
housands of years ago, the
Secwepemc people, occupy-
ing a vast territory in what is
now British Columbia, ran an indus-
trious fishery that contributed
to diverse subsistence pat-
terns and promoted cul-
tural growth, trade and
enhanced relations
with neighbour-
ing tribes.
Today, the Secwepemc are in the pro-
cess of rebuilding this culture and the
formation of a number of associations
and initiatives have paved the way to
realize this goal. Formed in 1980, the
Shuswap Nation Tribal Council (SNTC)
of Kamloops, B.C. is one such orga-
nization. Its priorities revolve around
the concerns of the nine member
First Nations communities, including
Aboriginal title and rights, self-govern-
ment and economic development.
“Aboriginal business is one of the fast-
est growing sectors in the business
community,” said Murray Ross, the
director of the SNTC’s fisheries de-
partment known as the Secwepemc
