About Business Enterprises
The Governance Framework
Our Strategic Plan and Our Board

Our purpose:

Helping Our Community Navigate the Waters of Change.

In June 2020, the leadership of Business Enterprises took part in a Strategic Planning Session. Here are the results.

Our Vision

Opaskwayak Business Enterprises will be a major economic force in Manitoba and the largest employer in our region.

Our Mission

We generate wealth through profitable business management and corporate operations, which provide increased opportunities for training, employment and private business ownership.

We manage a range of businesses and investments in high-performing sectors such as retail, commercial leasing, hotels and cannabis. We assist members looking to get into business with coaching, business and operations planning, finding startup capital, management training, and ongoing support.

Opaskwayak Business Enterprises initiatives, investments and programs provide Opaskwayak and its members with the most valuable of benefits, specifically the freedom to make their own choices.

“I want the next generation to have a strong foundation to work with by the legacy that we are developing. We have to tap into Opaskwayak’s biggest resource, our members.”

OUR FORECAST FOR THE FUTURE:

By Summer 2023, we are becoming the economic hub of the region, economic development is becoming the biggest and best employer in Opaskwayak.

The Shell station is new, bigger and better. We have three successful joint ventures underway.

Our retail managers are highly skilled and retail employees have the training and supports to provide high standards of customer service. The community is job-ready in retail services.

Our members are establishing their own successful businesses. Our community is buying local and supporting our Ininu economy.

We have a strong and successful business training program. We are supporting a business curriculum in Education. We offer business scholarships for members.

People are coming to Opaskwayak for an authentic Cree experience.

Business Development Branch is credible, capable and successful. People know we will do what we say. Our partners can count on us.

We communicate across Opaskwayak and out to the community in ways that people understand. We are transparent and accountable to our membership, who understand our business cycle. We work well with other branches and support their goals.

We are meeting or exceeding our revenue targets.

We are leaders who are approachable, yet confident. We are innovators who are not afraid to take risks. We are continuously improving and undertake professional development. We can move quickly. We are effective and strong negotiators.

We are welcoming and friendly, and we keep our communication formal and respectful.

We are united in our outward communication and we communicate issues internally to resolve them.

Our workplace is our 2nd family. We work together as a team with high standards and humour. We acknowledge the personal side of our colleagues. We are mutually supportive. We are promoting Cree language and culture within Business Enterprises and across Opaskwayak.

As the Leadership Team we set the vision and we lead change. We represent Business Enterprises to partners and stakeholders.

We look forward and are proactive in seeing and mitigating problems and risks. We engage and motivate the team.

We set targets and budgets and we track results to achieve our strategic plan. We train and mentor people and utilize people’s skills appropriately.

About the Business Enterprises Board

Business Enterprises Board Members

  • Derek Constant Portfolio Holder
  • Henry Wilson
  • Cyril Potolicki
  • Ron Fidler
  • Laurence Sinclair

Appointed by: Chief and Council

Term of Office: 2 years, in alignment with Opaskwayak election cycle.