b'LAND MANAGEMENTWestbank First Nation has 1.45 million square feet of commercial real estate on its landsresources. In many ways this Framework was the next stepform and maintain prosperous alliances with public and private on the path to First Nations sovereignty and self-government,partners. The Framework Agreement is an important govern-says Cherkas. Many First Nations communities have or arement-to-government agreement, says WDFN Chief Darcy Bear. currently taking that step, so theres a cautious optimism thatsIt enables you to move with the speed of business, whereas with beginning to grow. the Indian Act it can take years for important decisions to happen. OPTING IN The agreement has allowed the First Nation to develop its own As of January 2019, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northernland laws and receive support from the Canadian government in Affairs Canada reported that 153 First Nations have entered intoidentifying environmental concerns and accessing resources for the Framework Agreement and are now operating under theirremediation. It also enabled WDFN to issue long-term commercial own land codeor are on the path to doing so. Among themand residential leaseholds recognized by financial institutions. For is Whitecap Dakota First Nation (WDFN), which enacted its ownexample, it positioned WDFN as a partner for the Saskatchewan land code in 2001. In the 18 years since, the community hasIndian Gaming Authority, whose casinos contribute 50 per cent established the official systems, processes and procedures toof their revenue back to 74 First Nations groups.The Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT11'