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Show summaries - Third Season =-
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Fed
up with a dependence existence, aboriginal people across the
country are reclaiming their land and their economies. With
the highest birthrate in Canada and a burgeoning demand for
jobs, aboriginals recognize the time has come to focus less
on past injustices and more on their future prosperity through
business development, much of it involving the reclamation of
culture and language. Indeed, tourist-friendly regions are developing
thriving new, culture-based economies. In this segment of Venturing
Forth, we examine how the Osoyoos Band has turned their fortunes
around through sound business management. And we find out how
changes in attitude can
improve the lives of First Nations across the country. 
The
proposed mega gas pipeline through the predominantly Dene Mackenzie
Valley promises mega jobs, and mega bucks, for aboriginals in
the area. But not everybody is celebrating. NWT Premier Stephen
Kakfwi opposes the fact that resource royalties will end up
in federal coffers, and many ask what the costs will be to the
aboriginal people in the corridor.
It
is the biggest agreement between aboriginals and government
in world history: $3.5 billion over 50 years, and a share of
the benefits from natural resources taken from their land. Nine
Cree communities in Quebec voted on this deal on January 30,
2002. On the one hand, the massive extension of the James Bay
and Northern Quebec Agreement promises more Hydro-Quebec development
and jobs for the Cree people. On the other, the required diversion
of the Rupert River and construction of the Eastmain 1200 megawatt
power plant will decimate certain Cree trap lines and disrupt
lives, some believe at significant cost to the Cree traditional
way of life. When the deal was put to referendum, the Venturing
Forth cameras were there, and in this segment, we look at the
implications of this historical agreement for the communities
involved. From Chibougamau, to Nemaska, we spend time with the
people behind the headlines. 
Almost
one million young aboriginal Canadians will enter the workforce
by the year 2006. The numbers raise hopes for the future of
aboriginal populations-and some difficult questions. Where will
today's young aboriginals work and how will they get trained?
And in this age of technology colonialism, how will they gain,
or retain cultural traditions and language? In light of the
fact that many aboriginal communities have lost their language,
or are in danger of doing so, the challenges are real indeed.
Some communities have gone as far as mandating aboriginal language
immersion from grades one to three. Elders in those communities
say they are working today for the benefit of seven generations
in the future. Other communities have implemented innovative
youth training programs. In this edition of Venturing Forth,
we look at some of these initiatives and follow three young
people on their chosen career paths. 
Controversy
swirls around Inco Ltd's incursion into Voisey's Bay in Labrador.
The Inuit and the Innu of Labrador are still negotiating with
the federal government and Inco representatives for both jobs
and royalty benefits. At the same time, aboriginals are concerned
about the impact of the project on their traditional language
and culture. Fifteen hundred jobs are at stake, but some question
whether the relative wealth created by such jobs will negatively
affect the social fabric of Labrador's indigenous communities.
This segment in the Venturing Forth series looks at the culture
and language of Voisey's Bay and Nain, and the potential impact
of big business on these remote centres of aboriginal life.
Are they cultures on the brink of dollars-or damage? 
The
most untouched of Canada's regions, Nunavut boasts few major
roads and no discernible pollution. Inuktitut is still the primary
spoken language, testimony to the Inuit people's determination
to protect their native tongue despite European migration northward.
When the new territory was created on April 1, 1999, there was
a lot to celebrate. Iqaluit was proclaimed its capital; business
development, efficient government and self-sufficiency its priorities,
as befitting its new official status. A growing younger population,
increased satellite and internet communications and certain
external services would help it achieve its goals. But with
the initial glow of official status dimming, there's a new and
disturbing reality emerging: the very things that are helping
the new region achieve independence are also threatening the
traditional culture and Inuit values. This episode of Venturing
Forth gets behind the scenes to look at a people torn between
the benefits of modernization, and the preservation of a traditional
way of life. 
The
Atlantic provinces comprise the only region in Canada rich in
all four natural resources: oil and gas, forestry, fishing and
mining. And aboriginal businesses are partnering with major
corporations to benefit both from the jobs provided, and shares
in highly lucrative resource royalties. While enhanced economies
are a priority for many Atlantic First Nations, some are also
concerned about maintaining cultural roots. This segment of
Venturing Forth examines the innovative ways aboriginals are
successfully balancing business and language while becoming
increasingly involved in the natural resource sector.
Per
capita, more aboriginals live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, than any
other city in Canada. Many are marginalized, putting big pressure
on the public purse. This segment of Venturing Forth looks at
the lives of three First Nations Canadians living in Winnipeg.
One is a student, one an unemployed potential trainee and another
a newly employed worker. All three have aspirations; and all
face significant obstacles. We examine the stresses on the public
system, as well as on individuals looking to move away from
reliance on government coffers, and toward jobs that will give
them independence. 
For
centuries, Canadian aboriginals relied on fur-bearing animals
for food, clothing and shelter. Hunting and trapping was a way
of life, intrinsic to cultural identity. Some believe the move
away from the land is directly linked to the loss of aboriginal
languages. Yet the fur industry appears to be enjoying a mini
boom. Today's young people are seeking a renewed knowledge in
their traditions, including those that tie them to the land.
In this Venturing Forth episode we take our cameras to the community
of Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta-where the Northwest and
Hudson's Bay companies established trading posts in the early
colonization years-and look at how they have evolved. Is the
fur trade boom a blip on the economic radar, or a sign of something
much more enduring? And how is enterprise in nearby Fort McMurray
impacting the culture and livelihood of smaller communities
like Fort Chipewyan? 
In
1993, the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations in Haines Junction,
Yukon, near Whitehorse, signed an historic land claims and self-government
agreement. It gave the First Nations a significant amount of
money, co-control of 2500 square kilometres of land, and the
power to pass laws and govern municipal services and programs.
It was a celebrated agreement. With hidden costs. This segment
of Venturing Forth examines how the new autonomy is playing
out in Haines Junction a decade after the agreement was signed.
Is the business and administration of these First Nations running
smoothly? Is the economy thriving? Has self-government strengthened
the cultural and spiritual life of the Champagne and Aishihik
people, as expected, or hindered it? This is a behind-the-scenes
look at emerging First Nations, doing their best to address
the often complicated, sometimes divisive demands of self-government.
In
traditional matriarchal aboriginal society, women always played
a central role. While men kept busy hunting and gathering, women
were caregivers and stabilizing influences. Today, many aboriginal
women continue to take centre stage, in business and administration.
But they face some of the same obstacles that non-aboriginal
women face: outdated attitudes and lack of opportunity. Focusing
on an aboriginal designer who has combined International high-fashion,
with strong cultural values, this episode of Venturing Forth
examines the challenges facing aboriginal women in business,
and looks at their achievements, despite a lack of formal training
and support. 
The
Metis of Canada, mixed-blood French, European and aboriginal
people, have, at times, been relegated to second-class stature,
even though most status aboriginals do not have "pure bloodlines."
Many Metis resent not receiving the benefits accorded aboriginals
with official status. They believe they are, in some ways, a
forgotten people. This segment of Venturing Forth follows the
evolution of the rich Metis culture, from Louis Riel's time
to the present. Our cameras spend time on the Prairies, particularly
in and around Bonneville and Grande Prairie, where there is
a concentration of Metis people, many of them thriving culturally
and economically. 
The
international marketplace is not an easy place to make a mark.
Yet aboriginal entrepreneurs are doing just that. After all,
they have a long history of international trade on which to
draw. This episode of Venturing Forth looks at a piece of this
history, starting with the creation of aboriginal currency and
the marketing of Dentalium shells found off the west coast of
Vancouver Island. Dr Phil Nuytten, a Metis businessman, sub-sea
engineer, diver, marine archeologist, author, carver and native
advocate, has done extensive research on the subject. He also
knows well today's global markets. His companies, Nuytco Research
and Can-Dive Construction, have been marketing internationally
for more than 30 years. Through Nuytten's insights and others,
Venturing Forth examines the past, present and future of aboriginal
international business and trade.