Raven venture capital executive Jeff Cyr says that Indigenous economics would 'absolutely' work in a non-Indigenous context.The Globe and Mail
Jeff Cyr, a Métis of the White Horse Plains in Southern Manitoba, is the co-founder and managing partner of Raven Indigenous Capital Partners. Established in 2018, Vancouver-based Raven is an Indigenous-led and -owned venture capital firm. Working as a social finance intermediary, Raven partners with Indigenous enterprises and social-purpose organizations to accelerate their success by providing access to capital and bespoke technical assistance within an Indigenous cultural framework. For nearly 20 years prior to his current role, Mr. Cyr provided strategic leadership for Indigenous, not-for-profit and government organizations. Outside of his work at Raven, Mr. Cyr is also on the Indigenous advisory committee of Ashoka Canada, the advisory committee of the school of business at Royal Roads University, and the finance and investment committee of the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund.
What does being Indigenous mean to you?
To me, it means being connected to land, your culture and your people in a deep and holistic way. My identity as an Indigenous person truly weaves its way into all facets of my being. Over all, it pushes me to always reconnect with the land, to go into ceremony, to think about how I raise children through a traditional lens. In my day-to-day life, it translates to how I relate to other people, how I treat the planet, how I think about economics and how I run my business. It especially inspires me to spend a lot of my time thinking about how we honour Mother Earth and how we build for the future. To speak in more technical terms, I believe an Indigenous viewpoint is a lot about systems thinking, systems change and systems innovation.
Is there a difference in your mind between how Indigenous people lead and how non-Indigenous people lead?
I find that in Indigenous leadership there is a greater emphasis on building deeper, stronger and more sustainable relationships. In business more specifically, I find that Indigenous leaders actually look at the capital and the wealth that they create differently. Further, once they create this capital, their intentionality of what to do with it tends to be different. Often, they want to plow it back into Indigenous communities themselves and become investors. In my eyes, I see that these leaders can create an incredible growth trajectory, not only an individual level, but also for their friends, families, communities and nations.
Since your time in the federal government many years ago, do you find that Indigenous services and relations have improved?
On a commitment level, it’s been the best that it ever has been, but in terms of actual implementation and change, it’s been as bad as it ever has been. When it comes to institutions across the country, there is a significant amount of muscle memory inside the system. Things continue to move at the same glacial pace because outdated policies and processes restrict change and limit innovation and significant progress from happening. So, fundamentally, the treatment of Indigenous peoples is no different than it was decades ago. Looking ahead, large-scale innovation is needed in policy, regulation and finance. We need to think really innovatively about how to do this, because change happening at the pace it’s happening is unacceptable. However, I will say that outside of those institutions, the one very significant and positive change in our society is that the average Canadian seems to be paying much more attention to Indigenous issues.
Would Indigenous economics work in a non-Indigenous context?
Absolutely. At the end of the day, the economy is about a set of values by which people make decisions. So in my eyes, to create the change we seek, we need to start valuing different things. My running theory is that economies are human constructions and that we can make them and remake them in the image that we seek to do so. I truly believe it is entirely possible to get a positive Indigenous impact while still making good economic returns. These two things can and must co-exist. We do not need to have huge financial and social exclusion. We can remake our systems through new policies and different types of investment vehicles. We have to think that things can be done differently and we need to actively do it.
How is Raven Indigenous Capital Partners changing the current Indigenous economic landscape?
Right now there is a real missing chunk of patient, flexible capital in the ecosystem for Indigenous entrepreneurs and Indigenous communities. This is dangerous because it limits growth and innovation in our communities. To progress, we need firms like Raven to prioritize Indigenous economic empowerment. In my experience, when Indigenous people control the capital, it allows us to be innovative in that space. We’re not beholden to a set of additional and unnecessary obstacles from organizations and institutions that do not understand our unique identities and experiences. When Indigenous people control and manage their own resources, that’s to the benefit of everyone and to the economy at large.
How can non-Indigenous people be better allies toward Indigenous people and issues?
The first thing is get educated on the true history of this country and to not simply accept what you learned from school. This knowledge paves the way for true healing and sustainable progress. The second thing is to recognize that consumers have a massive amount of power in our systems. So, one of the most impactful things that you can do is “vote” with your money. If everyday Canadians start purchasing Indigenous products, selecting Indigenous services and increasingly investing in Indigenous businesses, the potential for significant positive change is tremendous.
What is your advice to Indigenous youth reading this column?
First, accept no limitations. Second, if you really want to change something, get involved in it. It’s pretty hard to argue against something unless you take part in it and try to be part of the change you seek. Third, if you don’t see the thing that you need, then build it. This is Raven’s mentality, really. We saw a gap in the current national economic landscape, so we created our firm; we actively took part in the change we sought; and we didn’t accept others’ limiting attitudes along the way.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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About the series
Canada has a long history of dispossession, oppression and discrimination of Indigenous peoples. The future, however, is filled with hope. The Indigenous population is the fastest growing demographic in Canada; its youth are catalyzing change from coast to coast to coast. Indigenous knowledge and teachings are guiding innovative approaches to environmental protection and holistic wellness worldwide. Indigenous scholars are among those leading the way in exciting new research in science, business and beyond. There is no better or more urgent time to understand and celebrate the importance of Indigenous insight, culture and perspective.
Optimism is rare in media. And coverage of Indigenous peoples often fails to capture their brilliance, diversity and strength. In this weekly interview series, we will engage Indigenous leaders in thoughtful conversation and showcase their stories, strategies, challenges and achievements.
Karl Moore is a professor at the Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University, in Montreal. He is also an associate fellow at Green Templeton College at Oxford University. He was the host of a long-running video series for The Globe and Mail in which he interviewed chief executive officers and business professors from the top universities in the world. His column, Rethinking Leadership, has been published at Forbes.com since 2011. He has established a global reputation for his research and writing on leadership, and he has interviewed more than 1,000 leaders, including CEOs, prime ministers and generals.
Wáhiakatste Diome-Deer is completing her master’s degree in educational leadership at McGill. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and brain sciences from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and has completed graduate work at Harvard University in Massachusetts. She is a consultant in education, leadership and Indigenization for organizations and schools, and has previously held positions at the Kahnawake Education Center, the Quebec Native Women association and the Canadian Executive Service Organization. Ms. Diome-Deer is a traditional Kanien’kehá:ka woman from the community of Kahnawà:ke.
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