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According to the plan for the fledgling business, called Indigenous Roots, the Armstrong operation would initially have the potential to produce 3,000 kg per year or more, and serve about 8,000 patients. At full capacity it could expect to generate $1.5 million in monthly revenue and create 25 jobs at the facility, plus 15 more for education, outreach, marketing and customer service.

Clearly the revitalization of First Nations economies is one expression of reconciliation Former Assembly of First Nations chief Phil Fontaine

In an interview in Ottawa Monday, Fontaine argued the private sector — though full of powerful influencers and bureaucracies, just like government — can be a major conduit for reconciliation.

“Clearly the revitalization of First Nations economies is one expression of reconciliation. And so that means that we ought to be able to participate and engage in every sector,” he said.

“It’s really about moving away from being dependent on government and creating our own capacity, our own source revenue so that we’re in a position to make our own investment decisions that will be beneficial to the interests of our communities and citizens.”

Many of the major industries located on Indigenous land are connected to resource development, with local communities typically not involved as owners or investors.

But with medical marijuana, and the recreational market that would ultimately result from the Liberal government’s promised legalization, there’s an opportunity for those communities to get in at the beginning of an emerging market. “There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t be a central player in this sector,” Fontaine said.