First Nations Voice

NOVEMBER 2015 • PAGE 3 By Trevor Greyeyes T hough the Chief Peguis Investment Corporation (CPIC) has enjoyed a relative brief existence since 2012, Peguis Chief Cindy Spence accepted the award on behalf of the her community at a dinner organized and hosted by Aboriginal students at the Asper School of Business. "I think the award shows that as we strive for our independence and prosperity that it is one small step with many more to come for Peguis First Nation," said Spence. CPIC grew out of the Peguis First Nation's Comprehensive Community Plan that focuses on strategic investment to provide a rate of return on behalf of all community members. Its five key areas of investment include: retail, wholesale, residential, commercial and philanthropic activity. Most prominently, CPIC has recently acquired an existing office building and land located at 1075 Portage Avenue. Renovations are nearly complete with a number of key tenants already in the building including CPIC, the First Peoples Economic Growth Fund, real estate agency and Peguis service agencies. Spence said plans are underway for an economic summit of all band and member owned and operated businesses to promote purchasing of goods and services within the community. CPIC received the 11th Annual Excellence in Aboriginal Business Leadership Award at a gala dinner hosted by Aboriginal Business Education Partners (ABEP) at the Hotel Fort Garry on October 9, 2015. ABEP is made up of university students enrolled in the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. The awards are handed out annually and winners are chosen by a blue chip panel of business experts. Business award recognizes tHe strengtH of peguis community Hard to believe that Connie's Corner Cafe has been around for 18 years but it has not only survived but thrived as a cornerstone in Winnipeg's North End. And it's that pluckiness that was recognized with the Small and Medium Entrepreneur Excellence in Aboriginal Business Leadership Award at the Fort Garry Hotel on Thursday, October 8, 2015. Bob and Connie Chartrand first opened the now ubiquitous cafe back in 1997 in one of the poorest and depressed areas in the country. They started a cafe that most people wouldn't even stop to park a car but despite the nay sayers the couple made it work. Well, mostly Connie because as Bob later admitted that anyone in the hospitality business like Connie's Corner Cafe has to get up pretty darn early to roll up the sleeves and begin prepping the food before even the first customer arrives. "I know we continue to dwell, as so called Native political leaders, on political issues like residential school and we put less emphasis on what should be day to day issues," said Bob. He went on to say that although the cafe has survived and even thrived that is has not made Connie and Bob independently wealthy but that wasn't the point of the cafe. By Trevor Greyeyes connie's corner cafe recognized for Business accomplisHments Peguis Chief Cindy Spence Bob and Connie Chartrand

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