It’s been suggested the Black Organizations working with Ng should not be categorized as representatives of the Black community, since the community had no voice in who would represent them.
As the economic slowdown caused by Covid-19 continues to cripple small businesses, the federal government is loosening the purse strings to support entrepreneurs. Billions of dollars in deferred tax payments and billions more injected into banks to lend to cash strapped businesses.
The economic crisis has revealed what Black business owners face daily. Many have challenges securing capital with lending institutions. There are also restrictions on Black communities from using their property as collateral for business financing, along with a host of other barriers.
Speaking with the Office of the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade, they acknowledge that all business owners are facing a hard time. They will also look into helping the Black business community.
“This week, Minister Ng is looking forward to speaking with the Black Business and Professional Association and the Black Business Initiative in Halifax. We continue to listen to Black business leaders and organizations to ensure we are helping them through this difficult time – nothing is off the table.”
Ryan Nearing. Secretary and Regional Advisor (Atlantic Canada) |
Office of the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade
The Ministry will look into specifics for Black business owners at a conference call Thursday evening. Although, the Objective News Agency have learned members of the Black community have concerns with organizations tasked to speak on behalf of the Black community. At this point there is no definitive clarification on what constitutes a definition of a Black organization that represents the community. There are Black organizations that are primarily accountable to the government and those that are accountable to community.
The Black Business Initiative (BBI), based out of Halifax, is an organization designed among other things to help Black entrepreneurs secure funding and grow their businesses. Though many have said the BBI has a poor reputation for not supporting Black business owners, and have secured millions of government dollars in the past to support Black owners with little results. Community activist Dr. Lynn Jones is critical of the role of groups such as African Nova Scotian Affairs and BBI that are being held up as representatives of the Black community, when in fact they have a greater accountability to their government funders and not community.
“I have always always challenged which organizations are government or quasi- government as opposed to community. Many organizations that we call community are in fact government or quasi government” said Dr. Jones.
Dr. Jones also says this is not to suggest the groups have not done good work in the community.”
The Objective News Agency investigative team has learned the BBI has come under scrutiny for their part in bungling a land deal meant to create low-income units in the cities Black populated North End. Instead of building low-income units, the property was sold to a developer, and today is an upscale apartment complex. Many of the Black residents are unable to afford the high rents, and some have said the posh structure solidified gentrification in their neighbourhood.
We spoke to BBI Interim CEO Rustum Southwell, in regards to meeting with the Minister of Small Business. Southwell told us , “our organization is trying to advocate for and lobby with several National Organizations on different fronts.”
The meeting with the Minister of Ng will take place Thursday evening.
Our newsroom has reached out to the other organization meeting with the Minister, the Black Business and Professional Organization in Ontario through phone and email, however, we didn’t receive a response.