– The Canadian Chamber of Commerce helps shape public policy and decision-making to the benefit of businesses, communities and families across Canada with a network of over 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, representing 200,000 businesses.
CANADA – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce recently released Coming Together, Making Progress: Business’s Role in Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, which calls for more collaboration between business, the Crown and Indigenous people to make real progress in the reconciliation process. This progress is crucial for Canada to move forward as a unified, stronger and, ultimately, more competitive country.
This report identifies both the challenges that all parties face and solutions for a productive path forward. It was developed through consultations with Indigenous leaders, representatives from the business sector and legal and national experts.
In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, Call to Action 92 is directed at the business community, but it is often unclear what those responsibilities are. ‘Coming Together, Making Progress’ calls on the Crown to take the lead and provide clarity to all parties on what their role should be.
While the Crown takes the lead, business should not wait. Corporate Canada moves at a different pace than government and can make real change happen at a much quicker rate. Businesses work closely with Indigenous peoples while developing new projects and have an opportunity to be champions in collaboration with these communities, providing support and partnership.
Recommendations to the federal government in the report include developing core education materials on the history of the Indigenous peoples and making them available to the public and making it easier for Indigenous entrepreneurs to access affordable capital.
The report also calls on businesses to publicly support government-funded projects to improve Indigenous peoples’ quality of life and to examine how they can better collaborate with Indigenous communities in the development of projects, as stated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.
By finding a productive path forward, we can ensure our Indigenous communities have the tools they need to start and grow businesses, enter into respectful and lucrative agreements with businesses and, fundamentally, contribute to a stronger, more inclusive business environment in Canada.
