When I first presented in June, I outlined a couple of areas that would be positive. Those were to improve the conditions to the current emergency program; undertake an assessment of what we need to get back to business, so engage our community; return AFI funding to historical levels, or at minimum, meet the needs of our businesses because of that 70% decline; ensure that the growth fund that was announced by the government in 2019 continues because that's the source of access to capital for indigenous businesses into the future, so we want to make sure that happens; and ensure the 5% procurement. After a 35-year failure to ensure that indigenous businesses are part of the government business stream, I think now is the time to ensure that the government changes its culture internally to select more indigenous businesses and give us the supports to ensure we're successful this time.
On November 17th, 2020. See this statement in context.