25-hour Online Indigenous Engagement course coming soon
FACTUAL, UNFILTERED.
Bypasses comfort by prioritizing truth over convenient messaging
About Indigenous Insight
Indigenous Insight is a 100% Aboriginal-owned company based on the lands of the ɬaʔamɩn (Tla’amin) Nation.
Canada’s education system has not prepared settler Canadians for Indigenous engagement of any sort. Most are not prepared to set foot on any Indian reserve. This is not the fault of settler Canadians. Canada's education system is at fault. The perspective brought foward here is built entirely from a First Nation perspective, from a status Indian, one who has lived on an Indian reserve his entire life, is of a family directly impacted by Canada's Indian Residential School System, and from one who has made decisions under the Indian Act.
We provide Indigenous engagement, cultural awareness training, and Aboriginal Rights and Title advisory services to businesses, organizations, corporations, and all levels of government. With 637 recognized First Nations across Canada, navigating this space requires real knowledge of communities, their governance, and their decision-making processes.
While some Nations thrive, many still face the economic and social consequences of centuries-long colonial recessions. Indigenous Insight confronts this reality head-on.
Our approach is direct, factual, and unfiltered — ensuring the truth comes first in Canada's Truth and Reconciliation equation.
About KWAST-en-ayu
KWAST-en-ayu is a member of the Tla'amin Nation (TN), Coast Salish culture, located on the west coast of Canada. Maynard was bestowed with his ancestral name on May 10, 2003 by Tla'amin Elders immediately before his nation signed the Sliammon First Nation - Corporation District of Powell River 'Community Accord'.
For non-Indigenous peoples to be successful in this program, critical thinking and evolution of thought are required. Maynard's respect and teachings have been sharpened from 30+ years of direct exposure to decision-making under Canada's Indian Act, actually living on a Indian Reserve and being of a family directly impacted by Canada's Indian Residential School System.
Maynard’s has worked in the Indigenous economic/business development space for many years, in multiple capacities and truly understands the massive distinctions between Indian Reserve economies when compared to those within cities, towns, municipalities and provinces. His in-depth knowledge of the history and culture of Aboriginal peoples, their traditional land and resource practices and archaeological footprint comes from years of working closely with traditional land and resource use experts and Elders.
Maynard was a guest presenter at Ch'nook Indigenous Business Education (UBC's Sauder School of Business) and was invited to participate on UBC's Indigenous Procurement Committee.
KWAST-en-ayu's work in reconciliation has been recognized locally (Freedom of the City) in 2008 and nationally (Queen Elizabeth III Diamond Jubilee medal, 2013).