Professor Forecasts Aboriginal Economic Prosperity

Professor Forecasts Aboriginal Economic Prosperity

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at 14:20

An economist from the University of Saskatchewan says the economic survival of the province will definitely depend upon First Nations and Metis youth.

Professor Eric Howe says Aboriginal people stand to make up half the population by 2050.

He believes they face challenges similar to that of eastern European immigrants about a century ago. Although they were generally discriminated against by mainstream society at that time, Howe says eastern Europeans gradually climbed out of poverty to establish themselves as a political and economic force.

Howe says education could help make this happen for Aboriginal people — but so could entrepreneurship.

He notes that between 1996 and 2001, the growth of Aboriginal entrepreneurship in Saskatchewan exceeded that of non-Aboriginals by 800 per cent.