Joseph Tootoosis

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT JOSEPH TOOTOOSIS

Joseph Tootoosis is the Manager of Lands & Taxation at Kwikwetlem First Nation, where he works to help further progress to implement the Framework Agreement on First Nations Land Management; working on land development models to meet the goals of Kwikwetlem is a main objective. He has more than 9 years of experience in public policy and economic development, working with various levels and jurisdictions of First Nations governance, planning, administration, policy analysis, and advocacy across Canada and internationally. He holds a BA degree, with distinction, in Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan, and an MBA degree from Simon Fraser University with a focus on Indigenous Business Leadership. His mission is to help Indigenous communities and organizations achieve their goals and objectives in relation to industry and government partnerships, business and economic development, comprehensive community planning, financial governance, and climate change resilience and adaptation. He has a strong background in applying evidence-based approaches, including Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), to find solutions that respect and uphold the rights, interests, and values of First Nations. He has also participated in and served as a technical expert in national-level processes and working groups, such as the New Fiscal Relationship (NFR) between First Nations and the Government of Canada, and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Joseph is passionate about supporting the holistic effects of nation-rebuilding and advancing the economic sovereignty and sustainability of First Nations. His work in land management, and economic development with Flying Dust First Nation have been used to advance FDFN\'s commercial development environment; this includes amendment of FDFN Land Code for long-term leases (99 years), eliminate limits on financing to encourage investment on-reserve, a market study to highlight the First Nations/Indigenous economic buying power in the Flying Dust/Meadow Lake Region, and a commercial development business plan for projecting revenues on commercial leasing, taxation, and cost recovery strategies.