Again, starting with the issue of partnerships, I think that the committee could be helpful in engaging some of those partners that we've talked about. We've mentioned the oil and gas industry and we've mentioned construction. Food processing was just recently mentioned as well. This committee has an opportunity to engage leaders in those fields and to ask them to seriously consider turning to Corrections for creating opportunities and hiring offenders with the skills when they come out.
I also believe that the committee can be extremely helpful in the point that I just raised around giving consideration for the first right of refusal for the purchasing by federal government departments of items that we have a track record in, such as the production of furniture. We're now producing various uniforms for a couple of different government departments. Federal government departments having to look to CORCAN before they purchase outside, I think, would go a long way to supporting us.
I also believe that the committee can be helpful in terms of advancing discussions with first nations communities, issues related to economic development and the monies that they receive, and looking at forging relationships with Corrections in areas where we can provide the kind of people who are needed to produce goods. For example, in this case, it's housing. I think there's an excellent opportunity there. I also think that this committee can be extremely helpful in advancing the work that organizations such as Habitat for Humanity do. The more they're able to get projects going, the more I'm able to get offenders engaged in those kinds of projects.
Just a quick aside, we've seen several of the Habitat for Humanity projects where offenders have gone out and started to assist in putting together homes. Other volunteers from the community, including people from various construction companies, have seen the skills and the abilities of offenders. They have actually hired them right there and given them jobs for when they get released. Helping to advance those kinds of activities is good.
The other issue this committee can help advance is some discussions around the issue of a criminal record. A criminal record does not exclude you from being somebody who can become a law-abiding citizen or somebody employed in some workplace. I think this committee can be very helpful in advancing those kinds of discussions. Like you'll see when we send you this video, all those employers know who they hired, they know they have criminal records, but what they're interested in is what those offenders are bringing to that workplace. I think that you can help in advancing this discussion across the country as well.