Keeseekoose First Nation invited financial advisors from a nearby bank to give a workshop to members earlier this month in advance of the community’s treaty agricultural benefits settlement.
Diane Musqua, director of the family wellness program in Keeseekoose First Nation, about 285 kilometres west of Regina, helped organize the workshop.
She said her band had a land claim payout of $20,000 a few years ago and afterwards members were asking for help to be financially prepared the next time they may have another payout.
“From past experience, we learned that a lot of the people didn’t have the tools or or the information to do better planning, so we want to do better this time and inform them and give them as much information as we can to make better decisions,” said Musqua.
About 22 community members ranging from 20-65 years of age attended the workshop in the band hall, with advisors from the RBC bank in nearby Yorkton, Sask.
Musqua said the community had a lot of great questions for the advisors, which was encouraging, like where are the best investments and about purchasing a home.
Musqua said they plan to hold more presentations, and that financial institutions coming to their community, to meet in their territories, opens a trust relationship.
“It gave me affirmation that this has opened the door more for our membership to grow and understand budgeting and basic life skills as well,” said Musqua.
The community council members and staff came together to make the financial literacy workshop happen in Keeseekoose, as it was something community members wanted.
Workshops planned for urban members
Keeseekoose Chief Alvin Musqua said a lot of their members won’t have a financial windfall like this in their lifetime again, so it could be life changing, whether through investing or being able to purchase things they couldn’t normally.
“If one or two people decide that they’re going to do investing and make a very wise choice with their money, then it’s a success,” said Alvin Musqua.
He said they are going to work on making these workshops available to urban members whether it’s through Zoom or booking a facility somewhere.
“A lot of people kind of label First Nations people as being terrible with money,” he said.
“But I know there’s a lot of people who have very good plans with their money, whether it’s investing, putting money away for five to 10 years through GIC.”
Justine Lutz, a financial advisor with RBC, spoke to those who attended the workshop.
Lutz said she talked about simplifying their finances, empowering them to achieve their life goals, creating better relationships with their money and specifics about tax-free savings accounts.
Justine Lutz, a financial planner with RBC in Yorkton, Sask.
Justine Lutz is a financial planner with RBC in Yorkton, Sask. (Justine Lutz/Facebook)
Going out to the community provides a safe space to ask questions, as she understands money can be a taboo topic to many people, she said, and we aren’t taught about financial literacy in school.
“I find a lot of people miss out on this information and it’s a pleasure to be able to help everyone out in gaining knowledge,” said Lutz.
“We can’t be an expert in every area and if we all help each other out a little bit more, we can have that information shared.”
Lutz said when it comes to investments people may want to do with their money, it all comes to a person’s goals, what they want to actually accomplish with their money.
“We want to talk about their goal and then find the product that would fit and the conversation goes so much better that way and make sure that my solution is achieving their goals,” said Lutz.
