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Public Policy

Supporting Indigenous prosperity and well-being through sound policy development and program design.

Public Policy

CCIB Public Policy uses the best data and research available to support Indigenous prosperity and well-being by ensuring that the needs and interests of Indigenous businesses inform policy and programs at all levels of government. The main objectives of the department focus on improving access to procurement, access to markets and access to funding for Indigenous businesses.

Our Public Policy Team is thrilled to champion the

National Indigenous Economic Strategy (NIES)

As a pivotal cornerstone, fuelling our efforts to advance government policy toward Indigenous economic prosperity.

CCIB’s Public Policy Influence matters for:

Indigenous
Peoples

All
Canadians

Governments

Corporate
Canada

Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises in Canada

Canada’s
Institutions

Full report: English, French

“Collective prosperity…we are only as prosperous as our neighbours.”

Public Policy Alignment with NIES

Our work continues to endorse the NIES by engaging and working with other partners to advance the following calls to economic prosperity:

People

Indigenous Entrepreneurship

Indigenous entrepreneurs have access to the information, tools, capital, and support systems to give them the best possible opportunities to build and grow successful businesses.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Create a financial literacy and business curriculum for youth and adults
  2. Develop mentorship programs.
  3. Foster a national network of Indigenous Chambers of Commerce.
  4. Create information and gateway platforms to navigate the range of resources and services for entrepreneurs.
  5. Ensure that Indigenous Entrepreneurs have access to capital and enabling programs to fully participate in the Canadian economy.

Leadership and Governance

Indigenous Peoples are not only certified as board-ready but also actively participate on Canadian corporate boards, boards of Indigenous organizations, and not-for-profit boards. Concurrently, protection measures are in place for Indigenous intellectual property and traditional knowledge to prevent cultural misappropriation. Efforts to strengthen and support the Indigenous public service are also underway, fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Study, review, and amend existing board certification programs to meet Indigenous needs.
  2. Create and coordinate a national database of certified, board-ready Indigenous Peoples for utilization by organizations to populate boards of directors.
  3. Enact legislation to increase the number of Indigenous Peoples on public and private boards.
  4. Educate shareholders to mandate inclusion of Indigenous Peoples on corporate for-profit and not-for-profit boards.
  5. Business schools in Canada require all business students to take a course on Indigenous Peoples and the economy, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal Rights, Indigenous Law, Aboriginal – Crown Relations, and skills-based training in intercultural competencies, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Create Youth, Women, Elder, and LGBTQ2S+ permanent forums.
  2. Educate Indigenous youth on all aspects of Indigenous economic issues and approaches.
  3. Seek the advice and guidance of Indigenous Elders in all culturally-specific aspects of economic development.
  4. An Indigenous branch of Canadian Intellectual Property Office Cultural is created.
  5. Support Indigenous-led institutions to build Indigenous administrative and service delivery capacity for the provision of public services.

Labour Force and Markets

A highly skilled, competitive, and world class Indigenous labour force for Canadian and global markets.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Partner with organizations focused on Indigenous STEM programs.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Enact legislation for equal funding for Indigenous K-12 education.
  2. Direct Federal funding to Indigenous enrolment in post-secondary STEM disciplines.

Social Capital

Build and strengthen the bonds and linkages among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians; foster and grow the social capital of Indigenous Peoples.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Develop programs to enable Indigenous Peoples to expand their networks.
  2. Identify appropriate social capital measurement and reporting systems.
  3. Develop a communication strategy to underscore the power of social capital.
  4. Evaluate how social capital is improving both labour market and economic outcomes.
  5. Recognize and measure the Indigenous contribution to Canada’s prosperity and work towards increasing Indigenous economic growth.
  6. Encourage all entities in Canada to establish Reconciliation Action Plans that are measurable and communicated publicly.

Workplace

Inclusive workplace strategies for Canadian employers that harness the human resource potential of all employees.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Engage Indigenous Advisors to help Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations evaluate workplace practices and strategies, measure and monitor workplace inclusion strategies, provide inclusive workplace training, and undertake systems review of strategies.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. All public and private employers adopt the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action No. 57 (educate public servants on Indigenous history) and No. 92 (corporate sector adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples).

Lands

Land Sovereignty

Indigenous communities have the tools, information, and advocacy to affirm jurisdiction of their lands and territories.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Strengthen the negotiating capacity of Indigenous groups.
  2. Undertake a study to quantify the natural resource capital loss and loss of use that has occurred as a result of colonization.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCAB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Reform government legislation and policy to remove exclusionary and racist sections relating to land.
  2. Develop new legislation to eliminate that Indigenous Rights Holders extinguish their inherent and/or Treaty Rights as a prerequisite for an agreement.
  3. Recognize and affirm the spirit and intent of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights.
  4. Change place names to reflect Indigenous traditional names and the Indigenous world views. Create maps that reflect historical Indigenous place names.
  5. Immediately settle all unresolved Indigenous jurisdiction and land issues.
  6. Document Indigenous Peoples’ relationship to the land, and mandate that it inform Indigenous-led education of policy makers, industry, and all Canadians.
  7. Fully fund Indigenous communities to conduct Traditional Knowledge studies and create their own archives.
  8. Establish Indigenous institutions focused on building Indigenous capacity to address land sovereignty.
  9. Undertake an annual national audit of federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal designated surplus land. Develop and implement a policy for Indigenous set asides and the right of Indigenous first refusal of these lands.
  10. Establish a portfolio of land to be made available for future land claim settlements.
  11. Identify Indigenous land claim bases on or near urban, commercial centres as settlement for loss of economic use.
  12. Enshrine Indigenous right of first refusal in the sale or lease of Crown land.

Land Management

Indigenous communities have the right to develop their land for the purposes of building sustainable economies.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Through the Centre of Excellence conduct Indigenous research and case studies on the appropriate utilization and management of the land.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Create an Indigenous Centre of Excellence for Land Management to which current government programming is devolved. This Centre will develop and manage an Indigenous Lands Registry.
  2. Provide tools and legal templates for Indigenous Peoples to build land codes, laws, and associated regulations and undertake land use planning.
  3. Affirm Indigenous Rights as stewards and protectors of the lands, particularly Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Crown lands.
  4. Create an Indigenous environmental oversight body with powers equal to the Canadian Energy Regulator; this entity also appoints representatives to existing regulatory bodies.

Environmental Stewardship

The inherent role of Indigenous Peoples is enshrined in law and policy as stewards of the land, water, air, and natural resources.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Implement significant penalties for corporate non-compliance with Indigenous, Federal, Provincial, Territorial, and Municipal environmental laws and permitting processes.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Establish a policy that directs representatives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are included on all Federal, Provincial, Territorial, and Municipal Regulatory bodies. Affirm the utilization of Indigenous knowledge in all aspects of land management, protection, and emergency response.
  2. Direct that Indigenous environmental bodies and people are required as monitors of all energy and resource projects.
  3. Develop an environmental stewardship element of the Indigenous Centre of Excellence for Land Management.
  4. Procure the services of Indigenous companies to clean up contaminated sites.
  5. Strengthen the consultation process on all major resource and energy projects to ensure Indigenous interests are paramount.

Infrastructure

Physical Infrastructure

Indigenous communities have the capacity to participate and the opportunity to take the lead economic position and equity ownership in any infrastructure development.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Prioritize provision of broadband services in rural and remote communities; set aside telecommunications spectrum for Indigenous communities, and report annually on progress in meeting connectivity goals.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Improve coordination across all levels of government to implement a place-based approach to Indigenous economic development.
  2. Strengthen engagement with provinces to coordinate investments and realize economies of scale in the provision of infrastructure and services.
  3. Create an Indigenous-led Institute for Physical Infrastructure that collects and disseminates information on leading practices and provides advisory services.
  1. Collaborate with major telecommunications providers to address deficiencies in access.
  2. Conduct research on access to education in remote Indigenous communities, develop a plan to address connectivity deficiencies.
  3. Provide safe and culturally appropriate educational options for Indigenous students in urban communities.
  4. Eliminate the boil-water advisories in all Indigenous communities by upgrading physical infrastructure and developing capacity and skills of community members to manage water systems.
  5. Ensure all Indigenous communities have reliable transportation for travel and shipment of food and materials.
  6. Provide Indigenous communities and organizations with the first opportunity to take over decommissioned government physical assets; and provide skills training and support for ongoing operations and maintenance. (Also see Calls #42 and #44.)
  7. Prioritize government funding to infrastructure projects with Indigenous equity participation and/or support, potentially through corporate tax incentives.
  8. Fully fund rural, remote, and urban Indigenous community training to maintain, operate, and protect current and new physical and technological infrastructure.
  9. Ensure Indigenous Peoples have access to sustainable housing and home ownership.

Institutional Infrastructure

Indigenous Peoples guide development of policies and processes for mainstream public organizations. Government, corporate, and institutional policies incorporate Indigenous economic prosperity.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Create an Indigenous Knowledge Institute focused on protecting Indigenous Rights, monitoring Indigenous-focused research, protecting intellectual property rights, community-specific cultural knowledge, and development of national ethics principles to guide Indigenous-focused research.
  2. Determine how Canada’s National Research Agency should support Indigenous initiatives and research projects.
  3. Develop a comprehensive compendium of Indigenous research and knowledge that is currently resident in non-Indigenous institutions and centralize this knowledge in the Indigenous Knowledge Institute.
  4. Eradicate policies and practices that reinforce racist standards within institutions: government, academic, health, religious, not-for-profit, legal, justice, and corporate.
  5. Include an Indigenous lens in all research and teaching institutions, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Where possible, ensure that Indigenous-specific research is led by Indigenous researchers.
  6. Create a national Indigenous-led organization focused on technological infrastructure.
  7. Call on all levels of government to work with Indigenous leaders on a strategy to collaborate on devolution and / or co-management of economic development delivery models, developing Indigenous capacity and Indigenous-led economic institutions.
  8. Devolve Indigenous Services Canada economic development elements to Indigenous communities and organizations.
  9. Devolve and / or co-manage Indigenous economic development services models from all federal and provincial governments.
  10. Establish and empower an Indigenous Institute to collect and govern Indigenous data about population, businesses, lands, and resources. This Institute will monitor and measure implementation of these Calls to Economic Prosperity.

Financial Resources for Infrastructure

Indigenous communities own and effectively manage infrastructure, trust funds, and settlements, and have the capacity to generate own-sourced revenues. Financial institutions view Indigenous communities, institutions, and businesses as viable investments.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Enable federal and provincial co-funding and industry partnerships to provide broadband services to Indigenous communities in rural and remote areas; prioritize Indigenous participation; provide dedicated Indigenous funding for all major infrastructure programs and projects, including Indigenous ownership.
  2. Conduct research and develop case studies focused on successful Indigenous community projects.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Enhance and strengthen existing Indigenous financial institutions and Indigenous economic development and sectoral organizations to build Indigenous economic capacity.

Finance

Revenue Sources

Legislative barriers to accessing capital and business development are removed and replaced with appropriate legislative protocols in line with Indigenous terms. Indigenous Peoples are partners in all government approved projects.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Indigenous Peoples participate in resource revenue sharing.
  2. Reform government policy and legislation to remove all barriers to Indigenous access to capital.
  3. Governments enact policies and legislation prioritizing Indigenous Peoples as equity partners in all major projects.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Governments adhere to their fiduciary duty to Indigenous Peoples and fully implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
  2. The Federal Government fully engages Indigenous Peoples in development of the National Action Plan, strategies, and other concrete measures to achieve the goals of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as called for Call to Action 44 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
  3. Modernize trust agreements and other revenue generating agreements to ensure long-term sustainability and to provide communities with revenue streams and flexibility in decision-making.

Stimulus Funds

Robust mechanisms and incentives are in place to ensure economic prosperity for Indigenous Peoples and encourage investment in Indigenous economies.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Research and action the mechanisms that will stimulate Indigenous economic prosperity.
  2. Implement tax incentives for private sector and social investors.
  3. Restore and strengthen funding to build the capacity of Aboriginal Financial Institutions to meet the demand for loans and for the distribution of stimulus funds.
  4. Create an Indigenous Business Development Bank or intermediary for Indigenous finance.

Procurement

All levels of government and industry have mandatory Indigenous procurement targets.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. All levels of government provide funding to establish and maintain Indigenous procurement institution(s).
  2. Devolve government procurement processes to Indigenous institutions – a “Supply Nation-type” organization, including controlling centralized databases of Indigenous businesses.
  3. Require that all public servants receive mandatory training on Indigenous businesses and Indigenous procurement mandates.
  4. Create active strategies for all public servants on Indigenous procurement
  5. Link government procurement targets to departmental and personal performance measure.
  6. All levels of government and corporate Canada are mandated to publicly report on Indigenous procurement.
  7. Build a national database of verified Indigenous businesses for utilization by all levels of government and by industry to procure goods and services.
  8. Securities Commissions mandate publicly traded corporations to report on Indigenous employment and contracting.

Trade

The Government of Canada recognizes and supports an Indigenous-to-Indigenous trade agreement. Existing Aboriginal and Treaty rights are honoured.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity CCIB is engaging with:

  1. Establish mechanisms to recognize Indigenous free trade zones, as defined and regulated by Indigenous Peoples.
  2. Establish Indigenous-to-Indigenous trade agreements and networks nationally and internationally.
  3. Recognize and fulfill Treaty Rights to trade and commerce, nationally and internationally.
  4. All free trade agreements include chapters on Indigenous Peoples and Trade, co-developed with Indigenous Peoples.

List of Calls to Economic Prosperity that CCIB works with other partners to advance:

  1. Create an Indigenous Export Development Corporation
  2. Implement the Jay Treaty.

“Indigenous people from across Canada have been fighting for acceptance and their place at the economic table for centuries… The time is now to realize that Canada’s future prosperity will depend on the success of its growing Indigenous population.”

Tabatha Bull
President & CEO, Canadian Council for Indigenous Business

For more information, contact: Matthew Foss, VP, Research & Public Policy, mfoss@ccib.ca

NALS

The North American Leaders’ Summit

On January 10th 2023, CCAB’s President & CEO, Tabatha Bull, joined a delegation of business leaders from Canada, Mexico, and the US at the North America Leaders Summit to discuss joint priorities in trade, immigration, security, pandemic recovery, and climate change.

“Given the importance of expanding economic prosperity, ensuring supply chain resiliency and access to the resources and opportunities that will pave the way for success for the North American economy, the time for Indigenous inclusion is NOW, the time for benefits-sharing is NOW, and the time for partnerships is NOW,” said Tabatha Bull.

CCAB especially supports the following quote found within the first statement, “In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, we will promote innovative and sustainable solutions that honor traditional knowledge, foster Indigenous-led growth and drive job creation.”

Other significant commitments found within the statements include:

  • We will continue our cooperation to build societies where Indigenous women and girls can live, learn, and lead without fear through the Trilateral Working Group on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls.
  • Indigenous women from all three countries will convene in the coming weeks to facilitate discussions about priorities and best practices including in areas of political, economic, and social development.
  • In partnership with Indigenous Peoples, we reiterate our pledge to protect biodiversity, to work toward ending deforestation, and doing our part to conserve 30 percent of the world’s land and waters by 2030.

CCAB is incredibly pleased with the outcomes of the summit, which have included commitments by all three leaders in regard to Indigenous inclusion and the following statements:

These efforts to engage with and support Indigenous peoples should be seen as interrelated and interconnected. For example, in working to eliminate violence against Indigenous women and girls an aspect that must not be forgotten is the importance of pushing for inclusive economies, growth, and job creation to enhance economic prosperity which may help to eliminate social conditions and vulnerabilities that contribute to violence against Indigenous women and girls.

Read the full statement here: https://www.ccab.com/tabatha-bulls-remarks-at-the-north-american-leaders-summit/

ENEV

Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources

CCAB’s Vice President of Research and Public Policy, Matthew Foss, joined several Indigenous businesses leaders from across Canada at the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources on February 16th, 2023 to provide testimony on climate change and the importance of Indigenous inclusion.

Watch his testimony below:

OGGO

Standing Senate Committee on Government Operations and Estimates

CCAB’s Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Procurement, Philip Ducharme, joined several Indigenous businesses leaders from across Canada at the Standing Senate Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) on December 5th, 2022 to provide his testimony on the importance of diversity in procurement, particularly the importance of Indigenous inclusion in supply chains and continuing to make progress towards the fulfillment of the 5% Indigenous Procurement Target.

Watch his testimony below:

INAN

Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs

CCAB’s President and CEO, Tabatha Bull, joined several Indigenous businesses leaders from across Canada at the Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) on February 8th, 2022 to provide her testimony on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on Indigenous businesses and the need to continue eliminating barriers to accessing supports.

Watch her testimony below:

UNDRIP

UNDRIP

CCAB’s Public Policy department supports the values expressed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). UNDRIP is an international instrument adopted by the United Nations in 2007, to enshrine the rights that constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world.

 

Export Mission Reports

Indigenous export event sponsorship opportunities In 2021, CCAB is involved with several national and international export/trade sessions, webinars, and programs, reaching audiences and participants from across the globe. Our focus is to support Indigenous economic recovery by increasing business through growing export opportunities – helping Indigenous businesses get more business!

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to get involved, please contact:

Matthew Foss | VP, Research & Public Policy | mfoss@ccab.com

Paul-Emile McNab | VP, Business Development & Member Experience| pmcnab@ccab.com

2022 Achievements

In 2022, the Public Policy Team is pleased to share that we have completed the following projects and initiatives:

  1. Organized and conducted a trade mission in January to connect Indigenous businesses and organizations in Canada with those in the United States.
  2. Participated in Global Affairs Canada’s Indigenous Working Group on Trade to monitor and inform the Government of Canada’s free trade negotiations.
  3. CCAB’s President & CEO, Tabatha Bull, sat on the Indo-Pacific Advisory Committee to push for substantive Indigenous inclusion in the framework, resulting in the following statements on Indigenous peoples in Canada’s announcement:
    • “Support the economic empowerment of Indigenous Peoples through the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA) in cooperation with existing partners—Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan—and Indigenous Peoples from those participating economies.”
    • “Indigenous Peoples from across Canada have established ties with Indigenous communities and organizations across the Indo-Pacific on issues as diverse as trade, oceans protections and Indigenous rights. Canada will support Indigenous leaders as they grow and deepen networks in the region across many areas of collaboration.”
    • “Pursue the path of reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples through enhanced Indigenous exchanges with regional partners, such as Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan; support education and skills development for Indigenous youth; continue the implementation of the IPETCA; and support the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”
  1. Delivered speeches and presentations to government officials to support Indigenous procurement, supply chains, economic recovery, and highlight barriers to Indigenous economic development through appearances at the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Government Operations and Investments and the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
  2. Secured Memorandums of Understanding with various international Indigenous organizations including IgNITE, ONABEN, Te Taumata, and NCAIED to collaborate on trade policy-related efforts.
  3. Monitored discussions involving the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and various other multilateral economic fora.
  4. Developed the following reports and briefs to support Indigenous procurement and access to markets:
    • Indigenous Export Pilot Initiative Final Report
    • Reaching 5%: Impacts and Recommendations of Implementing the Target
    • Reaching 5%: Improving Federal Subcontracting for Indigenous Businesses
    • Reaching 5%: Processes and Impacts of Procurement Brief
    • Trade Policy Report

2021 Achievements

2021 List of Achievements

1. Indigenous Business Export Dialogue:

  • 4 Indigenous businesses from Canada, 3 Indigenous businesses from USA with respective trade commissioners: January 14, 2021

2. Indigenous Export Pilot Initiative with World Trade Center Vancouver:

  • Delivered Nine Virtual Training Modules and Nine Export Mentoring Sessions February: April 2021

3. Partnerships in Procurement:  Supporting Indigenous businesses growth through improving Federal Secondary Procurement from Corporate Canada:

  • Final report submitted to Indigenous Services Canada: March 31, 2021
  • Posted on CCAB website: June 2021

4. Pan-Western Research on Indigenous Economic Activity Project:

  • Phase 1 Final Report submitted to Western Economic Diversification Canada: March 31, 2021

5. Procurement Policy strategy and analysis project with the Indigenous Procurement Working Group delivered: June 30, 2021

6. Indigenous Export Mission- Australia:

  • Training Session: June 23, 2021
  • Indigenous to Indigenous Business Meetings: August 23, 2021
  • Business Meetings: Summer 2021 (date coming soon)

7. Supporting Indigenous Export Success in Atlantic Canada:

  • Training Session: August 18, 2021
  • Indigenous Business Export Mission: October 2021
  • Final Report Delivery to Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA): November 30, 2021

8. Amended Ontario Small Business Support Grant to broaden criteria to permit applications from Indigenous businesses without a CRA Business number:

  • Result: at least 94 more Indigenous businesses received the grant, resulting in up to an additional $4M granted to Indigenous businesses

9. “Week on the Hill” and Parliamentary Committees appearances

2020 Achievements

2020 List of Achievements

1. Delivered CCAB’s Day on the Hill: February 25, 2020

2. Delivered interventions at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:

  • Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct: June 15 – 17, 2020
  • Business Grievance Mechanisms: December 14, 2020

3. Contributed an Indigenous business perspective to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Think Growth policy initiative: August – December 2020

4. Facilitated a dynamic working group of corporate, Indigenous and federal partners to improve corporate procurement from Indigenous businesses in federal contracts: September –December 2020

5. Facilitated a federal, corporate and Indigenous dialogue to increase support for Indigenous exporters: September 16, 2020

6. Delivered a comprehensive response to the Federal Speech from the Throne: September 23, 2020

7. Supported Indigenous inclusion in the Government of Canada 50/30 Challenge: October – December 2020

8. Supported Indigenous inclusion in the first women only business mission to the Republic of Korean: November 3-4, 2020

9. Supported CCAB appearances before Federal Parliamentary Committee to include policy making:

  • Standing Senate Committee on National Finance: November 12, 2020
  • House of Commons Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs: November 17, 2020
  • House of Commons Committee on International Trade: December 11, 2020

10. Contributed to a Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Indigenous procurement policy dialogue: December 3, 2020

11. Led the Canada – Australia Indigenous Export Dialogue: December 3, 2020

12. Launched an Indigenous Export Advisory Committee: December 2020

Policy publications

To support increased Indigenous participation in federal procurement, this brief provides a preliminary overview of challenges and recommendations gleaned from a more comprehensive research project on the topic conducted by CCIB. The project involved qualitative, in-depth interviews with 9 Indigenous businesses with federal procurement experience and 8 representatives of different federal departments engaged directly with Indigenous procurement. This is the first entry of a three-part series.

To best inform regional and federal approaches to Indigenous procurement, CCIB interviewed 10 Indigenous entrepreneurs and 11 regional procurement representatives (provincial, territorial, and municipal) to understand barriers, wise practices, and recommendations for effective Indigenous procurement. This policy brief presents a high-level overview of these findings with a particular focus on recommendations to support change in Indigenous procurement policy. This is the second entry of a three-part series.

IEDCs are important pillars of economic success in Indigenous communities. They play a crucial role in generating their revenue independently of government funding. Given these factors, CCIB developed this policy brief to spotlight the importance and benefits of increasing IEDCs engagement in procurement opportunities. This is the final entry of a three-part series.

Tracking and measuring spend with Indigenous companies is a cornerstone of any effective Indigenous procurement strategy. This brief presents some challenges and best practices from Aboriginal Procurement Champions to help guide effective tracking and measuring practices for corporations and government in their Indigenous procurement efforts. This is the final entry of a three part series.

Many understand the importance of meaningfully engaging with Indigenous businesses, but not always how to go about it. To that end, this brief offers an overview of some of the challenges to and best practices for engaging with Indigenous businesses as cited by Aboriginal Procurement Champions. This is the second entry of a three part series.

Presenting on best practices and barriers to embedding Indigenous businesses in supply chains, this brief offers insight and recommendations for corporations and governments to shape their policies. This is the first of a three part series discussing best practices for Indigenous procurement cited by Aboriginal Procurement Champions.

Increasing Indigenous trade and access to markets is a top priority for CCAB. This report looks at historical and contemporary Indigenous trade, the barriers to it, as well as 26 trade policy recommendations for how all level’s of government in Canada and Indigenous organizations can work to facilitate Indigenous trade.

This briefing presents the business specific followed by the Indigenous specific announcements in Budget 2023 to provide an overview of opportunities for CCAB members and other commitments to Indigenous Peoples. While there is minimal support within the budget specifically for Indigenous businesses, Budget 2023 includes many items that have potential to provide opportunities for CCAB members and Indigenous businesses overall.

Procurement and the opportunities that stem from procurement contracts are key drivers for economic reconciliation and development for Indigenous peoples in Canada. This policy brief examines the impacts and processes of procurement. As per the firsthand experiences of Indigenous business owners, it is evident that procurement can be a driver of change in their businesses and community, but the process itself needs work.

This policy brief outlines how the Government of Canada can increase subcontracting to Indigenous businesses through federal procurement contracts to contribute to its 5% Indigenous procurement target.

This policy brief outlines the impacts of increasing federal Indigenous procurement and recommends how the Government of Canada could successfully meet its 5% Indigenous procurement target.

Increasing federal procurement from Indigenous businesses is a top priority for CCAB. This report looks at how the Government of Canada can increase its secondary procurement from Indigenous businesses throughout its supply chains.

Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) presents this public policy brief to identify a series of actions that would support the successful implementation of the Government of Canada’s 5% Indigenous Procurement Target.

Increasing Indigenous procurement has been repeatedly shown, through the research papers attached amongst other literature, to be a mechanism to improve the prosperity and well-being of Indigenous peoples.

Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) presents this public policy paper to identify a series of actions that would support the successful implementation of the 5% Indigenous Procurement Requirement of every Federal organization.

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