Two Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) members have scored honourable titles in the 17th annual Indigenous Business Award program run by the BC Achievement Foundation.
Harold Calla is the recipient of the Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement, while (Himikala) Pam Baker’s fashion company Touch of Culture won Business of the Year in the one-to-two-person enterprise category.
Calla said he was stunned when he heard his name on this year’s list.
“I got a phone call, actually. I was at a car dealership looking at getting my car repaired,” Calla said about how he heard the news. “It came out of the blue for me and was a very humbling and rewarding experience.”
The lifetime achiever has worn many hats throughout his life. Calla is currently the executive chair of the First Nations Financial Management Board (FMB), which supports “over 370 First Nations governments in building financial systems and accessing capital markets,” according to a statement on BC Achievement’s website.
Calla also played a vital role in developing multiple federal legislations allowing First Nations to move away from the Indian Act, and helped form the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. He also serves on the BC Ferries and Trans Mountain Corporation boards, and previously served on the Squamish Nation council for eight years.
He emphasized the successes are a result of collaborating with people over the years. But the lifetime achievement recognition also signifies something else to Calla: the importance of the Squamish Nation being recognized.
“I think it’s important that our existence is recognized and that we are solution-oriented as a community and as people,” Calla said. “We want to be able to participate in the mainstream economy and to have our Aboriginal and treaty rights recognized and do so in a way that contributes overall to the economic benefit of Canada.”
The award recognition for Business of the Year also came as a surprise to Baker.
“It’s exciting, my family is happy that I’ve been recognized,” Baker said. “Every year I think I’m going to retire, and my mind just keeps going.”
Indigenous creative fashion business Touch of Culture was founded by Baker more than 30 years ago on the Xwemelch’stn (Capilano Reserve).
Since then, the fashion designer has showcased her detailed designs on clothing and accessories incorporating her Squamish, Kwakiutl and Tlingit heritage.
On top of her design work, Touch of Culture uplifts others through mentorship, collaboration and cultural workshops, according to the BC Achievement Foundation’s website.
Baker launched the business to share her work, but also to bring more awareness to Indigenous designers. The industry has taken off since Baker began her business in 1988.
“The awareness has been really good, because now we have all of the fashion events,” Baker said. “Before there wasn’t, it was just pretty much individual designers doing their own thing. Now you have Santa Fe [Native] Fashion Week and Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. So there’s a lot more coverage and awareness of First Nations designs and designers.”
Indigenous business award program creates platform for entrepreneurs, program director says
The business award program highlights the accomplishments of Indigenous businesses, entrepreneurs, partnership entities and community-owned enterprise, a press release from BC Achievement Foundation states.
Each year, recipients are selected by a jury after reviewing nominations sent in by the community.
Angela Marston, program director for the Indigenous Business Award, said the initiative creates a platform for entrepreneurs.
“They create a platform for their businesses and their voices to be heard,” Marston said. “What we often see is that their businesses grow significantly after receiving this award, but also they become role models and community for young people.”
Since the inception of the awards in 2003, more than 230 businesses and individuals have been recognized.
Recipients of the 2025 Indigenous Business Award will be recognized during a gala ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver on Nov. 5, where they will receive a certificate and medallion to celebrate their achievements.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
https://bsky.app/profile/abbyluciano.bsky.social
Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
