Indigenous-owned businesses strive for economic reconciliation
What if you could help heal the country and get rich doing it?
It may sound like hyperbole, but mining companies and their suppliers have a role to play in shaping a new era in relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians, according to Jean Paul Gladu, president of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB).
Speaking at a seminar titled Diversity and Inclusion in the Mining Supply Chain in Saskatoon recently, Gladu spoke about how commerce and opportunity in the resource sector are changing lives and communities.
He referenced the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report of 2015 and its 94 calls to action regarding reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
“At the CCAB, we are starting to look at what economic reconciliation looks like,” Gladu said.
“Economic reconciliation looks like our communities managing wealth and no longer managing poverty. And the only way you manage wealth is to generate wealth. And the only way you generate wealth is by leveraging your assets. In our case, it’s our people, our innovation and our land. The whole point of economic reconciliation is to make sure our people are inclusive and included in all aspects of the economy.”
Gladu said Indigenous people were the first entrepreneurs in Canada, and initially flourished in dealings with newcomers from Europe, but over time were pushed to the periphery of society. “But we’re coming back with a resurgence, and it makes me proud to see all these Indigenous businesses around the room doing incredible work, and proud to see non-Indigenous Canadians building relationships and striving for more.”
There are about 43,000 Aboriginal businesses in Canada today, and a 2016 report shows the Aboriginal economy contributed $32 billion to Canada’s economy, with $12 billion of that from Indigenous-owned businesses.
When non-Aboriginal businesses involve Indigenous-owned businesses in their supply chain, great things begin to happen, he says.
He pointed to examples set by Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Suncor Energy, and the positive effect they had on northern Alberta’s Fort McKay First Nation, which enjoys a $30,000 average per capita income advantage over Canada as a whole. It has been a 30-year process of relationship-building to get there, but the companies spent $1 billion in one year on Aboriginal businesses in that oilsands region.
“Think about the economic impact that has. It took some leadership within industry with a handshake and a business agreement to advance those communities’ interests,” Gladu said.
“And when we get that, we can start to see the incredible growth.”
Pam Schwann, president of the Saskatchewan Mining Association, said she is seeing an expansion in the number of Indigenous-owned companies that are involved in the mining sector. That translates into young people seeing that they have opportunities for a better life.
“I think by making more targeted efforts and having a more representative supply chain or workforce, it opens all sorts of doors for opportunity and it makes for a healthier society,” Schwann said.
“Less social spending is required, less police spending is required, and you just have a more positive society overall, so it’s a win-win for everybody involved.”
Gladu noted that statistics show Canadians overwhelmingly believe Indigenous businesses have a significant part to play in the health of our country and that they should be incorporated into everyday business and supply chains.
“They believe this is one of the pathways to reconciliation. Empowering communities is absolutely crucial if we are going to hit our stride in this country.”