As a part of our commitment to economic reconciliation, we're bringing you these pivotal calls-to-action from across Canada. Discover more about these mandates, and learn how you can actively participate in the movement towards economic reconciliation.

In order to further economic reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission advocates for a deep-seated transformation in the corporate sector:

92. We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. This would include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Commit to meaningful consultation, building respectful relationships, and obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples before proceeding with economic development projects.
  

• Ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects.

• Provide education for management and staff on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal-Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples emphasizes Indigenous peoples' right to determine and develop their own priorities. These include:

Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising their right to development. In particular, indigenous peoples have the right to be actively involved in developing and determining health, housing and other economic and social programmes affecting them and, as far as possible, to administer such programmes through their own institutions

Global Affairs Canada’s Action Plan on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples aims to enable First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada to access economic opportunities. Their goals and actions include:

Goal 5: Enable First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada to access economic opportunities.

Action 20: Enable export-ready Indigenous businesses in Canada to identify and pursue business opportunities abroad.

Action 21: Improve Indigenous businesses’ access to the benefits of International trade.

Action 22: Increase the range of opportunities for Indigenous businesses in GAC procurement.

Action 23: Provide Indigenous young professionals in Canada with opportunities to gain international work and learning experience.

The Canada Draft Action Plan is a comprehensive approach to addressing economic, health, and social rights of Indigenous communities. This includes:

Economic, health and social rights (Articles 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

60. Advance economic reconciliation and address persistent economic barriers for Indigenous businesses and communities, including the impacts of colonization and inequitable policies. (Indigenous Services Canada and various departments)

61. Increase Indigenous women’s entrepreneurship to reduce socio-economic inequity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations and between Indigenous men and women; and support self-determination and economic reconciliation. (Indigenous Services Canada and various departments)

The National Indigenous Economic Strategy brings forth a robust set of Calls to Economic Prosperity. These include:

Within the People Pathway:

• 5 Ensure that Indigenous Entrepreneurs have access to capital and enabling programs to fully participate in the Canadian economy.
• 9. Educate shareholders to mandate inclusion of Indigenous Peoples on corporate for-profit and not-for-profit boards.
• 11. Educate Indigenous youth on all aspects of Indigenous economic issues and approaches.
• 21.Create workforce engagement strategies.
• 22. Strengthen supports for organizations that focus on Indigenous skills, employment, and business training.
• 29. Encourage all entities in Canada to establish Reconciliation Action Plans that are measurable and communicated publicly.
• 31. All public and private employers adopt the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action No. 57 (educate public servants on Indigenous history) and No. 92 (corporate sector adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples).

Within the Lands Pathway:

• 35. Recognize and affirm the spirit and intent of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights.
• 48. Affirm Indigenous Rights as stewards and protectors of the lands, particularly Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Crown lands.
• 55. Strengthen the consultation process on all major resource and energy projects to ensure Indigenous interests are paramount.

Within the Finance Pathway:

• 83. Indigenous Peoples participate in resource revenue sharing.
• 106. Recognize and fulfill Treaty Rights to trade and commerce, nationally and internationally.

We are always looking for donations and sponsorship in order to build capacity to manage and provide programs to our members such as education of businesses and entrepreneurs, and to assist businesses with ReconciliAction, and cross cultural training.