ROSEAU River Chief Terry Nelson officially opens the first part of a proposed $40-million mall today on an urban reserve he won by threatening a rail blockade last summer.
So far, there's a $1.5-million gas station and smoke shop with five gas pumps on Highway 6, at the Perimeter. The highway is the main link to Winnipeg for northern First Nations with road access. Built with private money, it's the first enterprise in a series planned for the 30-hectare site.
Roseau River Chief Terry Nelson stands outside a new gas station and smoke shop at the Perimeter Highway and Highway 6, the first part of a proposed $40 million mall to be built on the urban reserve.
Land has been owed to Roseau since 1871, but Ottawa only handed over this parcel in June when Nelson threatened to blockade rail lines.
The gas station lease is not in the band's name. To get financing, the gas pumps are on a one-hectare parcel in Nelson's daughter's name, the chief said.
"It looks funny," Nelson admitted, but it was the only way around the Indian Act, he said.
Band land is controlled by chiefs and councils, and that scares off business, Nelson said.
Setting up the gas station fast could only be done with a private lease on a small parcel, pending formal federal designation of the land as an urban reserve.
"It's a struggle to get investment. Nobody is going to put money up and risk having a new chief and council come in and take it over and shut them down," Nelson said.
Nelson's daughter runs the gas station at Roseau River and her investors there were willing to invest at the new site close to Winnipeg.
Nelson is one of Canada's most recognizable chiefs because of his fierce rhetoric. He has big plans for the land, including a medical mall that will resemble a day hospital.
Today, Nelson will unveil the details at the Victoria Inn on Wellington Avenue.
At his side will be two heavy hitters, Senator Gerry St. Germain and Internet pharmacy tycoon Daren Jorgensen.
"We're real excited about it," Nelson said. "Jorgensen, he's going to be sitting up there. He's one of the investors interested in the health centre."
St. Germain is a Vancouver-based senator with Manitoba Métis roots. He is also an expert on how Ottawa stymies private business on reserves.
The hurdles Nelson faces are typical, the senator said. And Nelson's creative maneouvres? That's typical too, the senator said.
"The best social program is a job. But most non-native people, if they had to face the obstacles thrown in their path that First Nations face in economic development, they won't go there." St. Germain said.
On the political front, Nelson defended his administration Monday, saying his hold on power is threatened by people who cannot get elected legitimately.
Political rival Felix Antoine heads a group that calls itself the band's custom council -- representing the 21 families in the band.
Nelson insists the real custom council is dormant.
The political instability threatens attempts to bring prosperity to the small southeastern Manitoba band, Nelson said. "Investors see this infighting and they say, 'I'm not putting money in there.'"
To compensate, Nelson is separating politics from commercial ventures at the band level.
His council appointed an arms-length board of seven businesspeople to vet development at the urban reserve on the highway.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
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