Solutions Needed to Resolve Canada's Indigenous/Corporate Partnership Crisis

By Kelly J. Lendsay, President & CEO, Aboriginal Human Resource Council

VANCOUVER, April 28, 2014 /CNW/ - We are experiencing a partnership crisis in Canada between the Indigenous community and corporate Canada. New approaches to build stronger relationships between corporations and Indigenous people, businesses and communities are being explored this week in Vancouver (April 29-May 1) at Inclusion Works '14: Fast Forward Prosperous Partnerships.

With the projection of $650 billion over the next 10 years in resource development that supports 1.8 million jobs across Canada, and billions in tax revenues/royalties – the time is now to face the economic and social imperatives of designing new partnership and workforce development models.

Major developments are multi-staged, long-term projects that involve significant financial and resource investment. The economic return for corporations and the Indigenous community can be huge when partnership negotiations start and end with trust, respect, and the sharing of knowledge, skills and resources for the mutual benefit of all parties.

Doug Eyford, BC lawyer and West Coast Energy Infrastructure representative (and Inclusion Works '14 speaker), in his report to the Prime Minister Forging Partnerships/Building Relationships -- Aboriginal Canadian & Energy Development, said: "Industry has demonstrated that it is prepared to invest in Aboriginal communities to develop a capable and educated workforce and seek a greater commitment from governments to achieve these goals."

According to Eyford,"some Indigenous communities are one generation or more away from developing the capacity to deal effectively with industry and governments on major resource project proposals."

At Inclusion Works '14 we are aiming to fast forward prosperous partnerships and push for greater understanding and trust between corporations, educators, government and the Indigenous community that will help close this generational gap.

There are many trusted partnership practices in place between the Indigenous communities and corporations that are generating win-win prosperity and economic development opportunities, but more needs to be done, and we're working on it.

Indigenous workforce development at the community level has worked well, but regional and national partnership frameworks and workforce innovations are needed to improve economic partnerships between large employers and the Indigenous community.

Indigenous groups are similar to provinces and territories that face numerous jurisdictional issues, overlap in services, and competition. And, Indigenous communities, like any community in Canada, want free, prior, and informed consent on major projects in their communities'… jobs, prosperity, and long-term benefits to their communities.

Corporations want access to Indigenous land, increased Indigenous markets, access to Indigenous suppliers, trained Indigenous workers, and long-term economic spin-offs and partnerships. 

Inclusion Works '14, hosted by the Aboriginal Human Resource Council and its 80+ corporate Leadership Circle partners, is Canada's sixth and largest Indigenous workplace inclusion event, being held in Vancouver, April 29-May 1, 2014. 

Visit aboriginalhr.ca for more information, and to receive a complimentary digital copy of the publication: Navigation Guide: Major Developments – Aboriginal Partnerships.

SOURCE: Aboriginal Human Resource Council

Peggy Berndt, National Director, Communications, Aboriginal Human Resource Council?, p: 604.598.2569, c: 778.995.5053, e: [email protected], ?w: aboriginalhr.ca