FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron set to sign a memorandum of understanding with Roger Francis of the Conference Board of Canada. Photo by Joel Willick.
A book devoted to projecting the growth of Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal population will be receiving a 20th anniversary update.
Saskatchewan and Aboriginal Peoples in the 21st Century: Social, Economic and Political Changes and Challenges was released in 1997 and provided a fifty-year forecast of the growing Aboriginal population in the province.
The original data in the book forecasted an emerging First Nations population. This data was then used to help inform decision makers on Aboriginal demographics.
On Thursday morning, the FSIN signed an agreement with the Conference Board of Canada to work together to release an updated 20th anniversary edition of the book.
FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron says the data in the updated book will provide opportunity for industry and organizations to further invest in Aboriginal people.
“We are talking about investing so that every one of us will benefit in this economy together, but more importantly that our children and grandchildren will survive, thrive and enjoy what we leave behind with this legacy,” says Chief Cameron.
Roger Francis was the signatory for the Conference Board and is also the Director of the organization’s Saskatchewan Institute. He says people need good data in order to make good policy decisions.
“If you don’t have the data you can’t make the decisions,” says Francis. “A lot of organizations end up with a blanket approach and they are missing out on opportunities to partner with Indigenous organizations.”
Francis says funding for the updated book is expected to be in place by the end of this year. The early part of 2017 will then be used for research with the book projected to be released in later 2017.