Beaulieu joins Team Canada
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 07/01) - Darrell Beaulieu is getting a chance to learn more about what is destined to become the planet's largest economy.
Beaulieu, the president and CEO of Deton'cho Corp. -- the economic development arm of the Yellowknives Dene -- is among 300 Canadians who will be in China later this week for a Team Canada trade mission.
"This is a relationship-building exercise and I want to show that there is a vibrant First Nations economy in the North," Beaulieu said.
Relationships or "connections" are key to doing business in China as they are part of a complex web known as guanxi. Guanxi, which is a major dynamic of Chinese society, binds millions of Chinese firms into a social and business network.
"There is an economic revolution going on in China. I want to see if there is a possibility that we could find marketing opportunities for Deton'cho Diamonds, and provide such things as food services and industrial housing on major projects through Ek'Ati Services. We could also provide China with environmental services through Deton'cho Environmental Alliance," he said.
Since 1992, China's economy has been growing annually at a double-digit rate.
Beaulieu will also be looking for possible investors interested in the NWT and, more specifically, aboriginal development projects.
According to a Canada China Business Council Report, China, which has 1.2 billion people, is Canada's sixth largest trading partner. When it comes to trade, Canadian businesses see China as an opportunity to take part in a large, fast-growing economy while China is seeking to improve its domestic production capabilities.
The more productive road appears to be partnering with the Chinese as opposed to merely trying to sell them a product.
Among Canadian concerns about doing business in China are costs related to unreliable transportation and developing Guanxi. Both are intangibles.
Beaulieu will arrive in Beijing Friday, then travel to Shanghai and Hong Kong and return to Yellowknife Feb. 18.
Beaulieu, a former Ndilo chief and band councillor born in Yellowknife, has been Deton'cho CEO for the past year. Prior to that he was the corporation's president for several years.
When he began his work with the corporation just 10 years ago, it had no employees. Today, the corporation has 65 staff. In summer, employee numbers rise to about 100 due to seasonal work by subsidiary companies.
