Evidence of meeting #111 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was company.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Mr. Willy, I know I mispronounced yours earlier. I'm sorry about that.
You had some additional written comments that weren't already provided to the committee. We received maybe the first half. Is it possible for you to provide those in writing, as well, in case we have some follow-up questions?
11:45 a.m.
President and Member of Red Sky Metis Independent Nation, K-Sports Marine Inc.
Sure.
November 30th, 2017 / 11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
Thank you very much.
Ms. Targett, you said something great, which was that through over $30 million of procurement projects within your organization, you have helped 15 businesses grow, which is fabulous. If more organizations like yours were doing as well, I think it would be great for aboriginal business.
Do you know what the success rate of those businesses you've helped mentor has been within PSAB? Do you know if they have actually had additional contracts through the federal government, now that you've helped them build capacity?
11:45 a.m.
Executive Vice-President, Corporate, Seven Generations Energy Ltd.
Of course I can't speak on their behalf, but my understanding is that there has not been a lot of significant procurement for them when it comes to those programs.
For us, and for that region, it really is about oil and gas development. I think that probably the one community that has really benefited is one that was involved in the expansion of a highway, the twinning of a highway through the reserve. They would have absolutely benefited from that because they were directly involved. I think there's also a smaller project that is close to another reserve, and it's currently under construction. That would be the extent of my knowledge.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL
If the federal government is going to be setting targets to ramp up from the very measly 0.46% to a more ethical target, how fast can we expect to be able to do something like that? What type of a ramp-up period should we expect would be needed?
11:45 a.m.
Executive Vice-President, Corporate, Seven Generations Energy Ltd.
From a corporate perspective and from striving to differentiate ourselves by working with all of our communities, I'd say there has to be a degree of flexibility in that, because it's going to be dependent on activity levels. You're going to have commodity prices in there. If you have a hard and fast number that doesn't take into account other economic considerations, it may be a challenge for corporations to live up to it.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Thank you, everyone, for being here today. I wish I could take everyone's seven minutes.
Ms. Targett, I'll start with you.
Thanks for the work you're doing. I'm from Edmonton. I used to work in Fort McMurray and I worked in Grande Prairie for a short while, so it's wonderful to hear about all the great work you're doing.
We heard this from other witnesses, and we heard it today. I'm struck by the amazing work done by Suncor, Enbridge, our oil and gas and oil sands businesses in providing competitive work for first nations. Why do you think we do it so well in the oil and gas industry?
Mr. Weir and I chatted about perhaps bringing those as witnesses as well. What are we doing differently? We're doing such a great job in our oil and gas industry but not in other industries and not where we have government rules.
Anyone else can chip in on that, as well.
11:50 a.m.
Executive Vice-President, Corporate, Seven Generations Energy Ltd.
I think there are a couple of reasons.
One goes back to that connection of the region with the communities. We already are working with those communities from a consultation perspective. That would be another reason that we've already developed those relationships.
As we're developing those relationships, it's just a natural fit. As well, through treaties, there is a requirement to ensure that accommodation is being included in those discussions.
Where we see the great work from the nations and where they're really making that contribution is where they have separated consultation from their economic development. That seems to work extremely well.
I think that it's natural, just because the people are there. They're the biggest resource we have.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Someone else mentioned the issue with Irving. We see Irving, which is a private company, shutting you out, but then we see these very large oil and gas industries that are not required to do it, but are doing it.
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
Yes.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
I'd like to jump in on that one.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I'm sorry; I have to ask you to be a bit short because I think Mr. Willy wants to step up, but I have some other questions as well.
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
Okay.
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
Let's not kid ourselves: the foundation to start this stuff, meaning the great work with these oil and gas companies, has been a legal challenge in the beginning. Our community took on the National Energy Board and caused Sable Gas and the Maritimes pipeline company to change how it did business. That's the reality, and that's how it happened.
We do business with Enbridge right now. That is a fantastic company. I agree 1000%. Suncor is an amazing company. They're giving great opportunities to first nations.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
I would suggest that you bring them in to talk about their procurement strategies. They're very good. When they first started out, they were pretty much along the lines of “Why do we need to do this?” Then we started pushing the dial back, so now they've bought in and they realize there are lots of indigenous companies out there that can do the work they need.
On the Irving side, I think the situation is that they're not being told that it has to be—
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Do you think that with the other companies like Irving, we are at the point where we were maybe 20 or 30 years ago with oil and gas—
11:50 a.m.
Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Gitpo Storms Corporation, As an Individual
Exactly.
