Government Operations committee  —that we're not going to give up.

Government Operations committee  Sure. I talked about supply chains. We have 82 corporations that have joined us. We had an event last week with Deloitte, which is one of our newest aboriginal procurement champions. They actually told us they have met their 5% target, which I think is quite interesting for a new company that's starting the journey with indigenous procurement.

Government Operations committee  I think they are going around and shopping to see what the opportunities are. We look at some companies, especially in Saskatchewan. Cameco used to do a lot of procuring. In the last few years, I think it's gone down a little bit. We have looked at these businesses that are looking to expand.

Government Operations committee  I don't want to take too much credit, but within our program we have this aboriginal procurement marketplace. It's an enhanced LinkedIn feature. When these champions come to us with opportunities, we reach out to our members. In an ideal world we would open it up to all indigenous businesses, but as an association, we do require membership.

Government Operations committee  I believe the group that was actually collecting all the data was CANDO. They were the ones who were housing all the information. They were the ones who were creating the reports and they would come to the members, Shannon and Ms. Bull and other groups, with the recommendations.

Government Operations committee  I believe they discussed the National Security Act when the proponent asked the government what was wrong with their bid or what they lacked within their bid. When the 233 indigenous businesses applied to that one RFP that was for indigenous businesses, that was the standard comment.

Government Operations committee  Yes.

Government Operations committee  They did not, to my knowledge. We actually went back and we worked. I contacted the contracting officer to try to find out—and I went to our members who applied, too—and he said it was based on the price. That was the only sort of.... I tried to educate our suppliers, as opposed to the government coming back and telling them where they may have been lacking in that opportunity, but again, that was through our own research with the government.

Government Operations committee  Is that for Ms. Suitor or me?

Government Operations committee  I'll be honest with you, Mr. Green, that I was not part of that task force. Again, it was Ms. Bull who was part of that task force, and they did give the recommendations. I think when we're looking at post-COVID opportunities, we need to find out what those opportunities are going to be so that we can ensure that our businesses are able to fully participate in them.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Green. Yes, the CCAB was involved with the task force, and the task force mandate dealt with COVID procurement. We had the businesses that were registered within that directory, and they were identified to different ministries in the government. Once we started going past the current needs of PPE and COVID requirements, my understanding was that the task force sort of expanded past that.

Government Operations committee  Yes, but that was for all federal procurement. It had nothing to do with strictly the PPE, but that one was 32 within one year. Their business development person spent that time and was then told that it didn't make sense to apply to the federal government for opportunities when we're investing all this time and money and not getting any feedback.

Government Operations committee  Okay, sir. I thought you were maybe directing it to someone else, because I feel like I've been talking a lot. On the trust issue, it does have to come from indigenous people for this to be happening. So many times when we're brought into the fold, we're told what's good for us.

Government Operations committee  I think that in the past, the government has been pretty good at doling out a little bits of money here and there. We've always been so hungry because we've struggled so much in the past. Again, these are just strictly my feelings. It's not on behalf of CCAB. I think quite often, for the government, that has been a way of sort of controlling, by saying they'll give us a little bit of money.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Paul-Hus. I want to go back to where we talked about ensuring that indigenous procurement targets are in the departmental plans and every executive's professional management plan. I think if those are in place, then the ones who are doing the procurement will come forward with ideas as well, because then they have to do it.