Information & Ethics committee  I think the intent is to give equitable access to all groups. If you take a look at the lobby registry, you'll get a good indication of where the world is going or where the needs in the community are. I think the National Association of Friendship Centres was number four in Dece

Information & Ethics committee  I don't think I'll touch the exemption that our nations hold on a nation-to-nation basis to be able to have discussions and opportunities to engage with the Crown. I am speaking as a CEO of a national association that is an advocacy organization, and we're just creating these new

Information & Ethics committee  I think it probably comes from the history, right? It was mostly subject to a small group of corporations and people of influence. Take a look at society in general. People of colour have been separated from the system—from the finance, the education and the health system. Now th

Information & Ethics committee  From what I've learned from what I've been participating in, and having been taught by Isabel Metcalfe on transparency and ethical processes, this is really what the code instills, I think. All of them hold their reputation really closely and follow to the t what they need to do.

Information & Ethics committee  I started in 2016, and the first priority they gave me was access to capital. The first thing I did was retain a consultant, and Isabel Metcalfe has been helping us since the beginning. We were the best-kept secret for the government. An investment of $240 million made 35 years a

Information & Ethics committee  I like to maintain a diverse lobbying effort. I like to update the government officials to make sure that they know what's going on in the indigenous community, in economic development in general and on the reconciliation front. Right now, the government has a 5% procurement ta

Information & Ethics committee  Generally, from what I know about the act and the intention of the act to provide equitable opportunity of access, I think there are good elements within the act already, but I don't think that getting into the details and providing those by fine-tuning it to create even more iss

Information & Ethics committee  I think that our nation already considers ourselves exempt under paragraph 4(1)(d.1), where nations are able to engage with the Crown on a nation-to-nation basis. I'm specifically speaking as an organization representative of my community. I am legislated under the—

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, I appreciate that. That's a very good point. When I'm trying to distinguish between first nations and organizations that represent first nations in a more mainstream advocacy way, there are cultural elements that we need to designate as exempt, because we have certain proc

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you for that question. I kind of compare this to the treaty-making process more than 100 years ago. They designated $4 in that treaty. That was supposed to cover a big bag of flour, a big bag of sugar and other things that people needed on the lands. If you compare that t

Information & Ethics committee  I don't know the details of the code and how it would impact that woman in wanting to work within her home area.

Information & Ethics committee  Good morning, everybody. [Witness spoke in Cree] [English] My name is Shannin Metatawabin. I am the CEO for the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, or NACCA, and I am a member of the Peetabeck First Nation of the Mushkegowuk tribal territory. Thank you for

Government Operations committee  Right now, we are in the process of fine-tuning that “indigenous business” definition. I think 51% is a minimum, but there are a lot of social impacts that would require that other firms be eligible. If they're making an impact in the indigenous community, there needs to be a m

Government Operations committee  For ancillary and subcontracting, I think if there's a social impact in the indigenous community, that score should definitely be elevated.

Government Operations committee  I don't believe it is, right now. I think we can do a better job of ensuring we have the right definition and accountabilities, and the mechanism to select and provide contracts that are actually with indigenous businesses.