Kakisa (Oct 29/04) - Someday Kakisa may have as many joint-ventures as it has people.

The tiny community with a population of less than 50 inhabitants already has four industry partners, has another three deals pending and is still looking at more.

Julian Landry, oil and gas advisor for the Kakisa's Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation, has played an instrumental role in brokering the contracts, which are reviewed by chief and council. He said the joint-ventures bring training opportunities and will guarantee the Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation a share of revenue generated by projects.

Through an arrangement with EOS Pipelines, four Kakisa residents will be travelling to the Edmonton area in November for safety and equipment training and an introduction to pipelines.

In return, the joint-venture company gets preferred status for approved work on First Nations' traditional lands or wherever else the band may secure contracts.

An alliance with Travers Food Service has provided camps and catering jobs. Last year, that partnership brought approximately $700,000 into the North, even though the employment was based south of 60, Landry said.

Kakisa's other pacts, both inked or tentative, are for water service, helicopters, drilling rig transportation, oilfield safety services and surveying.

When there are more jobs than available residents, the Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation invites band members from other communities to fill positions, Landry noted.

As well, some of the deals offer training for managerial positions at the company's expense, he said.

"It's just good business," he said. "Sure a lot of these companies are down south, but we're taking their expertise and using it to our advantage."

Dennis Nelner, a businessman and Liidlii Kue First Nation band councillor, suggested local businesses should also jump at joint-venture opportunities as well as First Nations.

"Who better to run a business than the private sector?" he said.

He's in favour of joint ventures so long as they are not structured to fleece the Northern partner. "The only problem I have is I don't want to see fronts for southern businesses using token aboriginal contracts here," said Nelner.

The government should help police joint-ventures by doing checks on southern firms, he contended.

As well, a business protocol could be established through an aboriginal business association, which has been discussed as various levels, Nelner noted. That way, training plans and managerial mentoring could be built into business agreements.

Landry admitted not all partnerships run smoothly. In the past, Kakisa dropped one of its former joint-ventures when the community felt its associate was trying to take too much of the pie, according to Landry.

"Those guys didn't want to share," he said, but added that First Nations can't demand too much either. "You can't scare them away."