TERRACE STANDARD. Business REVIEW Disrespect of natives taints business: chiefs By JEFF NAGEL MERCHANTS here say they’re alarmed by reports aboriginal customers are being harassed at some local businesses. “The last thing we want is people from the villages going back with the impres- sion they're being discriminated against,” chamber of commerce president Sheila Love says. She and other business owners are pledging to investigate concerns raised in the Nisga‘a village of Greenville. A chamber trade delegation stopped there May 8 on their way to Kincolith to try to attract new business from that vil- lage. The Terrace business leaders were bombarded with complaints ranging from poor service to outright harassment of na- tive customers. Greenville chief councillor Bert Mc- Kay said people from his village have been treated with undue suspicion and disrespect al Terrace outlets. “The level of trust seems to have di- minished with some of the stores in Terrace,” McKay said, “That level of trust must be reestablished,” McKay said a “subtle ignorance” at some stores taints the relationship with native customers. He and other Greenville chiefs told of Nisga’a elders shopping at the Skeena Mall being. accused. of shoplifting and subjected to unreasonable security mea- sures, They also complained of poor treat- ment of their people at a variety of other businesses in Terrace. “It’s not conducive to good busiiess at all,” said Willard visitors. “This is the new reality. We want to work with you.” “Tf you want to be in existance in the next 50 years you have to learn to deal with First Nations people.” Terrace Tourism's Angie Campbell - one member of the Terrace delegation who is aboriginal and originally from Greenville ~ urged merchants to try to hire some First Nations employees. She said the sight of someone aboriginal behind the counter acts like a giant wel- come sign for native customers. Love later called the issue legitimate, adding she hopes poor treatment of aboriginal shoppers is the exception not the norm. “It certainly does concern us,” she said She stressed the economic importance of abcriginal spending, which she said has helped stabilize the region during the downturn of the last several years, “We don’t want to jeopardize the rela- tionship we have with them,” Love added. “We recognize how important they are to the sustainability of our busi- nesses.” Others on the tour said they apprecia- ted the frank dialogue, adding it’s better to deal with such matters head on than simply see business. relationships dry up for no apparent reason. Love said the chamber may also pur- Bert McKay Martin, Greenville’s deputy chief. council- lor. Terrace is surroun- ded by 25 aboriginal communities, he noted, “The last thing we want is people from the villages going back with the impres- sion they're being discrimi- nated against.” having a Nisga’a re- the chamber board. Greenville’s deputy chief councillor. also urged business ow- ners here to look at “All those 25 com- munities shop in Terrace,” Martin said, adding that if their residents decided not .to shop in Terrace because of “the un- pleasantness” the impact on the city would be profound: «1h? #eeunies: “We have an economic clout that needs to be recognized by. the business community,” hereditary chief Jacob Mc- Kay told the three dozen Terrace business hte BABRD Opportunities. to set up branch outlets in outlying villages. Opening extra locations. may . make more sense than the development of en- tirely new businesses on reserve, Willard “Martin added: i “Some of you who are interested in expanding — think of us,” Martin said. “We're open for business and we're open for partnerships.” KITIMAT | LANDSCAPING Fe eee sue the possibility of . presentative sit. on Kitimat Landscaping and Contracting Ltd. 736 Enterprise Ave., Kitimat, B.C. 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