b'MEMBER TRIBUTEown autonomy, which is really import-ant to their corporation. The AIIC takes great pride in their commitment to First Nations leader-ship in terms of executive positions. From SeedAll but one of their staff members are Indigenous. The AIIC has always been committed to having Indigenous to Harvest people lead the organization. Sinclair says that the great achievements for the AIIC are seen in the community, in the successes achieved through the lending they have done over the years. By Ashley Albert They have given out over $60 million in loans since their launch, and they Paying tribute to have seen examples of generational long-serving networksuccesses stories. Sinclair shares one example of an AIIC member Rocky Sinclair success story. In 1993, he helped a family with a loan to start a business. The father was running the business at the time. The next loan they provided R ocky Sinclair is the long-timemeet the needs of their communities,for the family was to the son, and then Chief Executive Officer of theand that the IFIs remain controlled byyears later they helped the grand-Alberta Indian Investment Cor- the communities they intend to servedaughter with another loan. The AIIC poration (AIIC) located in Enoch, Alta.and grow. provided loans to three generations in Sinclair has been involved with theone family. Indigenous Financial Institute (IFI) net- Sinclair always believed that NACCAThe AIIC has always been a well-gov-work since 1987 and employed at AIICwould be successful. Before NACCAserned organization with good policies since 1993. This year he celebratesformation, he helped conduct researchthat ensure its managed properly. A 30 years with the AIIC, where he hasto justify the need for a capital cor- big challenge they faced recently was been CEO since 2004.poration. He was involved in the fieldthe COVID-19 pandemic, particularly before the IFIs were started. Sinclairin the hospitality industry. But with Sinclairs father worked in communityexplains that leaders of the day knewsupport from the federal government development with Indigenous peoplethey needed their own financial institu- for COVID-19 relief, their businesses for almost his entire career. Sinclairtions owned and operated by Indige- are doing better today thanfeels that he has followed in his fa- nous people to meet the demands ofbefore COVID-19. thers footsteps with his commitmentthe business community.to serve the community. [It was] notThe AIIC was one of the foundingSinclairs proudest personal accom-as much about the institution as it wasmembers of NACCA, so the AIIC hasplishment is that hes been with the or-about filling a need in the community,a strong history of supporting theganization for 30 years. He feels proud Sinclair says.associations vision. The first generalthat the board had the confidence in The AIIC was one of six Aboriginalmanager of NACCA was from the AIIC.him to lead the organization to where Capital Corporationsnow calledI am not surprised that we are whereit is today. Not many people stay in IFIsthat successfully advocatedwe are today. It was a common visionjobs for 30 years anymore, he says. for Indigenous control of Indigenousthat more could be done by workingI stayed because I believed in what economic development when thetogether, says Sinclair. The leveragewe are doing. The most satisfaction federal government sought to devolvethat you get by working together andis in the success you see around you the Aboriginal Capital Corporationshaving a common vision results in not just the success of our clients, program in the mid 1990s. This ledthe kind of successes we see today.but the people I worked with and how to the formation of National Aborigi- Theres always been a strong commit- much talent they have developed. [Its] nal Capital Corporations Associationment to that. certainly not about me, but about the (NACCA) in 1997. The greatest achievement of the AIICbigger picture.According to his colleagues, Sinclairis that they are still here today. SinclairFor over 30 years, Sinclair has wit-has been a valuable contributor to theexplains that after 10 years of beingnessed the benefits of seeing seeds NACCA network over the years. Hea party to a contribution agreementbeing planted in the ground through generously shares best practices andwith the federal government, thereto the results of harvest. Seeds were adds excellent critical feedback atwas a common fear that organizationsplanted in the mid-80s, and look what all network events. He is passionatelike theirs would not survive. But theywe have now. I get to see the firsthand about ensuring that the tools, solu- didnt just survivethey flourished.results of that early vision,tions and strategies developed by IFIsThey thrived and they maintained theirhe concludes. 20INDIGENOUS PROSPERITYIssue #1, 2023'