2022 has been a year of accountability and reconciliation toward the Indigenous people of Canada. Solidarity has been shown across Canada, with brands, companies, and government officials coming forward to acknowledge the hardships faced by the Indigenous and sweeping changes being made to ensure that history does not repeat itself. One of the changes that caught our eye is the partnership made between Canada’s largest cannabis convention, Lift Expo (formerly known as Lift&Co Expo), and Chilliwack, BC-based All Nations Cannabis–the country’s largest Indigenous-owned cannabis brand–as they decided to partner for the forthcoming expo happening in Vancouver in January to ensure all aspects of the event are culturally sensitive and respectful.
“We share a mutual respect for the First Nations-owned land in which we live and work,”
Corey Herscu, Director of Growth at Lift
said Corey Herscu, Director of Growth at Lift Events. “We wanted to make sure that everything planned had the blessing of the First Nations to continue, so we reached out to All Nations to ensure they were aligned with the vision”
We have a common interest in understanding the power of the ally and creating a positive impact with everyone, regardless of cultural background,“ said Darwin Douglas, CEO of All Nations Cannabis. “It has been empowering to do this work with Lift Events, to see movement happening, and to know that we are being listened to and respected.”
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Among the initiatives being done in this partnership include outsourcing to indigenous-owned businesses for:
- Shelving
- Paper
- Consumer activations
- Supporting indigenous catering companies
- Menus to be printed in multiple languages, including Hokameilum
- Indigenous staff available at the info booth who can answer indigenous questions.
- Provide literature to support translation.
“This partnership is all about collaboration and learning how to work together to develop a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture in relation to cannabis and beyond. We are excited to see it come to fruition,” continued Herscu.
Join the conversation at Lift Expo this January 12-14, 2023 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For more information and tickets visit liftexpo.ca.
