Building Bridges in Vancouver Communication spans cultures - multicultural aspects of business and training in British Columbia

Training & Development, May, 2001 by Haidee E. Allerton

Level 2: Information. More in-depth information about specific aboriginal groups and communities relevant to the client, including the opportunity to develop a strategic plan.

Level 3: Interaction. Facilitated face-to-face meetings between the parties. The aboriginal group is the host and faculty, and training takes place in a traditional setting within the particular community. The client may host a second day in a business setting if desired. This part of the program might include dancing and singing, traditional activities of tribal elders' gatherings.

Joseph cites the example of training on the water-use plan process for Hydro employees, which also involves First Nations groups and other stakeholders such as rod-and-gun clubs and snowmobile clubs. "That's an opportunity for us to provide cross-cultural training and for people to learn about aboriginals in their community." In some communities, Hydro employees have contact outside of work with aboriginal peoples, but not in others.

"What people realize from the cross-cultural training is that there is so much diversity," says Joseph. "It's easy for people to assume there's a homogenous group of people called Indians, but there's quite a bit of difference from community to community. Hydro employees learn how the diversity can affect the work they're going to do in a particular community.

"For instance, some bands are matriarchal--authority goes through the women--some are patriarchal, and others govern in different forms. When you're giving a presentation, the band chief and council might be down one side of the table and Hydro people down the other side, and men and women all over the room. But somewhere off in the corner, sitting in a chair, leaning on a cane, might be a little old lady, and you'd better understand she may be the direct decision maker or that what she will say will have a lot of influence.

"There are so many nuances," says Joseph, who's proud to say that BC Hydro was presented with a talking stick by the late chief Joe Mathias of the Squamish Indian band. That's considered a great honor. When someone is holding a talking stick, it means that person "has the floor." Everyone must listen and nor interrupt.

Ich bin ein Vancouverite

Overall, the picture in Vancouver looks good: Employment is up, unemployment is down, and the Canadian GDP is growing at about 4 to 5 percent yearly. The crime rate is low, as is the Canadian dollar, which at least is good for non-Canadian business entrepreneurs and investors--and, of course, shoppers. The strong competition for skilled workers throughout the Pacific Northwest and California also affects Vancouver. A number of colleges and universities--such UBC and Simon Fraser--are working tightly with Canadian businesses to provide the appropriate training. Housing isn't exactly cheap, but average income is high, and there's still prime office space and development areas available downtown. Vancouver has elements of Seattle and San Francisco but at a fraction of the cost, and the quality of life is apparent to anyone who goes there. Hightech growth in Vancouver has outpaced the British Columbia economy as a whole.