b'FORWARDADDITIONAL WORK property, the equitable distribution ofof events annually, from local consulta-While CCAB has made phenomenalcommercial profits across communities,tions and national award ceremonies, to inroads with its research, there is still muchand the unique business challenges ofclosed-door collaborations with busi-work that remains. Traditional knowledgeremote and isolated communities. CCABnesses and government, to dynamic (the foundation of Indigenous cultures)continues to address these and otherretreats with young Indigenous entre-has enormous commercial potential,challenges through its research withpreneurs. Slowly, but with real effec-but to date little has been done in thea view to providing practical, viabletiveness, the Council is altering public way of exploring market opportunities.solutions that will produce sustainableperceptions of Indigenous business while Interestingly, Indigenous cultural produc- commercial developments. providing Indigenous youth with influ-tion has found strong global markets, yetential role models.along with Indigenous tourism it remainsChanging public attitudes takes time, largely underdeveloped at home.and CCAB believes that direct engage-ment with government, business andCCABs research Therearealsooutstandingissuesother Canadians is an essential part of relating to community-owned intellectualthis effort. The organization hosts dozensefforts have helped identify areas of both challenge and opportunity and have cleared away misunderstandings that have stood in the wayThe wakening of Indigenous business is one of the most important stories of this generation. CCABs research efforts have helped identify areas of both chal-lenge and opportunity and have cleared away misunderstandings that have stood in the way. Most importantly, CCAB has presented a vision of Indigenous pros-perity and commercial engagement that has the potential to transform the country in the years to come.Ken Coates is the Canada Research Chair in Regional Innovation at the University of Saskatchewans Johnson Shoyoma Graduate School of Public Policy. He is also a Munk Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and director of its Aboriginal Canadians and Natural Resource Economy project. A respected Canadian historian, Coates has written extensively on Indigenous economic development and engagement in the resources sector. In 2017, he received CCABs national Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Relations.12A CCAB PUBLICATION2019'