Indigenous Tourism Ontario helps create new coalition
By Sam Laskaris
AUNDECK OMNI KANING FIRST NATION – M’Chigeeng First Nation member Kevin Eshkawkogan is among those spearheading a new national Indigenous tourism organization.
Eshkawkogan is the president and CEO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO), one of three organizations that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formally unite and create the Indigenous Coalition of Tourism Champions.
Besides the ITO, which has its headquarters in Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, the two others who have signed on to the new coalition are the Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network (NSITEN) and Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC).
Eshkawkogan said talk of creating the new coalition has been going on for quite some time.
“There isn’t a place for the, what are now called, provincial and territorial Indigenous tourism organizations,” he said. “There isn’t a place for them to have a voice or a consistent voice of their own, with their own autonomy. Others will claim they are the venue for it, but we all speak for ourselves.”
It should be noted that there is an Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), which was established in 2015, but officials with some provincial/territorial associations have been critical of ITAC’s work over the years.
Eshkawkogan said ITO has not worked alongside ITAC for the past five years; that’s even more reason for ITO officials to be keen about the new coalition.
“We’ve talked about this a long time,” Eshkawkogan said. “So, we said let’s just form a coalition and everyone retains their autonomy, but we align our efforts and we collaborate where we can.”
Eshkawkogan believes other associations will, in all likelihood, be keen to join the new coalition.
“We’re not about pressuring anybody to be a part of anything,” he said. “If people like what we’re doing, we’re always open to have conversations with people.”
Eshkawkogan said the coalition is not aiming to be considered the alternative to ITAC.
“We’re simply aligning our strategies, our provincial and territorial strategies, so that we can support each other in the best way possible, because there are no support systems for us out there at all,” he said. “So, we’ve got to lean on each other… That’s the rationale behind getting together and forming a coalition so somebody can support us. And since we can’t rely on anyone else, we have to lean on each other.”
ITAC currently receives federal funding to assist with its operations. Eshkawkogan said it is unknown at this point if the coalition would start getting any financial help from the Canadian government.
“That’s still up in the air,” he said. “That’s up to the federal government to decide. We’re doing what we do in each of our regions, we just say we’re doing this type of work and if somebody wants to support it, great. If not, that’s okay too because there’s now a lot of private sector resources available to us as well, given that we’re still in the era of truth and reconciliation…The federal government is going to have to take a hard look at what’s best to grow the industry and decide to allocate resources appropriately.”
Like Eshkawkogan, leading officials from the Nova Scotia and British Columbia organizations that have joined the new coalition are excited for what lies ahead.
Robert Bernard, the NSITEN executive director, said he’s pleased his association is working alongside two other leading Indigenous tourism groups.
“Supporting new and market-ready businesses and showcasing authentic cultural tourism experiences by supporting Indigenous entrepreneurial growth will help build a strong future for our people,” he said.
ITBC chair Brenda Baptiste also spoke highly of the new coalition.
“Indigenous Tourism BC welcomes this opportunity to partner with other provincial and territorial Indigenous tourism organizations to grow a strong nationwide tourism body that leads with tremendous respect for each other’s cultural sovereignty, autonomy, and title and rights,” she said.