Empowering Indigenous Voices

Diversifying Indigenous Voices

As the co-founder of a communications consultancy, what would you say is the importance of storytelling?

Storytelling has the power to create more inclusive, generous, and responsible communities. Well-crafted, authentic stories can be transformative — they create new understandings, compel people to change behaviours, and drive cultural movements. Look at the powerful stories of residential school survivors — these personal stories have influenced and changed how many people begin to learn the truth of systemic racism in Canada.

Where do you think the gaps are in the representation of Indigenous peoples and their stories in media, and how can communications professionals and media companies begin to close this gap?

I think often, if unintentionally, stories told about Indigenous peoples in the media can tend to take on one

individual’s perspective as representative of very diverse Nations, which can pose a barrier to authentic Indigenous representation. To start closing this gap, we need to think about who is telling these stories, and start promoting Indigenous storytellers so they can author the stories that have the power to shape and influence our culture. I would also challenge non-Indigenous journalists and communicators to continue to do the work to become more aware of the lens through which they write these stories, and to broaden their perspective.

What’s something that the audience should consider when learning about Indigenous history and culture that is often overlooked?

Learning about Indigenous history and culture is the first step, and recognizing that Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples have very different experiences and worldviews. However, it’s important to remember that

Indigenizing the Economy with Data-Driven Research

Since 1984, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) has been committed to the full participation of Indigenous peoples in the Canadian economy. Our work is backed by data-driven research, recognized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as the gold standard on Indigenous business data in Canada, on the barriers and opportunities for Indigenous businesses, business capacity, and supply chain analysis that has informed both government and corporate policy.

From the research done by the CCAB, we know that

without meaningful and real Indigenous partnerships, the Canadian economy would be at further risk. Our members are also aware and understand that Canadians owe it to Indigenous communities to implicitly share in the rebuilding opportunities that will increase the Indigenous economy and benefit us all.

Rebuilding our economy together isn’t something that will happen immediately, but as we continue to find solutions to move forward in this “new normal,” it’s vital to do so in collaboration and consultation with one another.

reconciliation is a lifelong and very personal journey that is paired with reconcili-action. That action is up to you but should be a direct reflection of your personal response to what you know and feel about the truth of Indigenous history in Canada.

Do you have any advice to inspire and encourage future Indigenous communicators?

If you’re interested in the communications profession, connect with other communicators. Find a professional association. Find other Indigenous communicators. But most importantly, learn your story and get ready to tell it. You have a lot to offer, and many organizations across Canada are ready to embrace your voice.

To gain more understanding and to participate in helping to rebuild and strengthen the path toward a healthy and prosperous Indigenous economy, join us on September 22nd for the CCAB’s Business Recovery Forum.

For more information on the CCAB, visit ccab.com

This article was supported through partnership with CCAB

Ben Borne

Mediaplanet spoke with Ben Borne, the first Indigenous certified Communication Management Professional and co-founder of SymmetryPR, about the power of representation and storytelling.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID STOBBE

Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business

Investing in startups that do a world of good.

Indigenous Leadership — Reforming Representation

Indigenous leadership is the next step in advancing representation in the workforce. As companies shift to adopting inclusive hiring strategies, it’s incredibly important to extend these initiatives to creating opportunities in decision-making roles.

It’s well-known that Indigenous peoples are disproportionately excluded from the Canadian economy as most private, public, and government sectors have less than three percent representation. The limited representation perpetuates an isolated and unsupportive environment, which exacer-

bates the systemic hurdles that Indigenous peoples must overcome.

Industries need to build better programs and initiatives that carve out space for Indigenous peoples in leadership roles to truly have equitable representation. Here at the IPAC, we’re dedicated to advancing Indigenous leadership in the private, public, and government sectors. The IPAC serves its members through professional skill-building and network development, and is recognized for excellence from coast to coast. Through its mission, the IPAC offers First Nations, Metis,

and Inuit professionals the opportunity to connect, learn, and prosper as a community within Canada.

To learn more about Indigenous inclusion visit indigenousprofessionals.org, or reach out directly to president@aboriginalprofessionals.org

The Former Humber Student Who’s Indigenizing the Fashion Industry

From the reserve to the catwalk, Scott Wabano is taking the fashion world by storm with a bold image of modern Indigeneity. It wouldn’t be possible, they say, if not for the support and community they found at Humber College.

Scott Wabano (they/them), of the Cree Nation of Waskaganish, came to Toronto to Indigenize Canadian fashion. To do so, they needed the skills and knowledge that a major learning institution could offer, but they also needed to remain connected to their culture. They found that opportunity and that connection through Humber College’s Indigenous Education and Engagement (IEE) department.

Since studying in their Fashion Arts and Business diploma program, Wabano’s star has

been rising fast. Their first streetwear collection, under the Wabano brand, was released this May and sold out within two days. Their work with the Lesley Hampton brand is winning awards. And they’ll be debuting a new film, written at Humber, at Toronto Pride.

Wabano’s success is their own, but they’re more than willing to credit Humber and the IEE with making it possible. “The IEE and I are tight,” Wabano says. “I don’t think of them as this service or these people that helped me. I think of them as family. They’re my brothers,

they’re my sisters, they’re my aunties, they’re my uncles. They’ve helped guide me to where I am today.”

Humber College offers a diverse and tight-knit community. Apply now for Fall 2021 at humber.ca

Krystal Abotossaway President, Indigenous Professional Association of Canada

Scott Wabano

Former Humber College Fashion Student & Advocate

Krystal Abotossaway

D.F. McCourt

This article was sponsored by Humber College

Building

Manufacturing Capability: A

Nation Case Study

In February of 2020, Warrior Supplies —

the PPE side of Jason Thompson’s project management and training business, Superior Strategies — was struggling.

“I was a month or two away from shutting it down,” says Thompson, a member of the Red Rock First Nation and an advocate in Thunder Bay for the inclusion of Indigenous peoples in business and society. “It just wasn’t getting the same traction as some of Superior’s other offerings.”

Thompson’s problem changed as COVID-19 swept through the world’s population like a firestorm. Demand for PPE in Northern Ontario skyrocketed, but he couldn’t get reasonably-priced supply and he wasn’t alone — Canada’s lack of domestic PPE manufacturing triggered bidding wars for foreign-made products that became prohibitively expensive, if and when they could be sourced at all.

The shortage became so critical that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and premiers across the country appealed to manufacturers to pivot their production focus to PPE manufacturing.

“These are historic times in which we need to do everything we can to support Canadians and mobilize all our efforts in smart ways,” Trudeau said in a March 20, 2020 press conference.

Building business partnerships with shared goals Windsor-based Harbour Technologies was among the companies to answer the call for help. The vertically-integrated supplier of custom systems, tooling, and machining re-positioned itself to make equipment for PPE manufacturing, designing the first Canadian-made N95 masks and production lines and the first fully-automated isolation gown manufacturing lines in concert with Oakville-based robotics and automation firm Promation.

In Toronto, outerwear manufacturer Wuxly

Movement was also hard at work. The company best known for using recycled, biodegradable, environmentally-friendly, and animal-free materials to produce ethically-manufactured jackets and accessories had pivoted production to make isolation gowns as well.

The three companies quickly realized that they all shared common values and leadership beliefs, and collectively approached Superior about joining its PPE manufacturing consortium. The partnership helped to deliver on a mutual desire to manifest reconciliation principles while introducing stateof-the-art production capability to an Indigenous business in Ontario’s north, all in alignment with the government’s stated priorities. “Developing Canada’s pandemic response capability is critical to everyone in this country — and that has to include our First Nations,” says Harbour’s co-owner, Andrew Glover.

Prioritizing reconciliation in business development

Since committing Promation to the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) Progressive Aboriginal Relations program several years ago, president Darryl Spector has also become a firm believer in the role both individuals and businesses play in establishing reconciliation initiatives through embracing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

These values and beliefs also resonated with Wuxly owner James Yurichuk, whose company is a member of the CCAB. Along with the rest of the team, Yurichuk believed the initiative could be a shining example of how Canadian businesses can reconcile with an

Indigenous community in a substantial and meaningful way.

“Reconciliation isn’t just the government’s responsibility,” says Spector, a sentiment echoed by Yurichuk. “It’s everyone’s responsibility.”

Manufacturing economic prosperity for everyone

Today, Thompson is cautiously optimistic about the future. He’s leased new manufacturing space, Wuxly is sending experts to Thunder Bay to train Warrior staff, and ultrasonic welding machines — used to seam the gowns together — are en route from Windsor and Toronto.

Once production gets up to speed, Thompson says that there are plans to expand and then roll out to other Indigenous communities in Canada and the U.S. who are interested in replicating the model.

Of course, there are concerns. The vital need for domestically-manufactured PPE demonstrated over the past 15 months seems to have been forgotten by purchasing departments, who are once again buying cheaper imported products over those made in Canada or by Indigenous-owned companies.

“It’s imperative that the federal and provincial governments recognize that this industry will continue to need support to ensure its long-term survival,” Thompson says. “It isn’t a call for a hand-out — it’s a call for a change in procurement guidelines that protects the investment they’ve already made to establish domestic pandemic response capability. It just happens that in this case, they would also be protecting a Canadian-Indigenous business partnership that could lead to greater economic prosperity — not just for the companies that answered last year’s SOS, but for the Red Rock First Nation and beyond.”

Andrew Glover Co-Owner, Harbour Technologies

Jason Thompson Owner, Warrior Supplies

Darryl Spector President, Promation

James Yurichuk CEO, Wuxly Movement

Reconciliation

isn’t just the government’s responsibility. It’s everyone’s responsibility. This industry will continue to need support to ensure its long-term survival.

Indigenous

Canadian/First

David Glover, who co-owns Harbour with his brother, Andrew Glover, inspects an isolation gown made in the company’s Windsor, ON facility.

Robotic assembly in action at Promation’s Oakville facility.

Scot Magnish

This page was sponsored by the following organisations

Building Better: An Indigenous Philosophy for Construction Projects

In the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory of Southern Ontario, the future of Indigenous higher education in Canada is being built. And, given that this is a country where the intersection of Indigenous culture and the education system is especially fraught, the team involved are well aware that this is a delicate undertaking. So, when FNTI (First Nations Technical Institute) was planning its new building, it knew that it couldn’t approach it like any other construction project.

“We want the whole building to be reflective of learning, empowering, building pride, and ensure that not only are the people in the building sharing their knowledge, but that the building and landscape are sharing knowledge too,” says FNTI President Suzanne Brant. “Our goal is to change the legacy between Indigenous people and learning. A lot of our students have previously attended mainstream educational institutions and it has not been a good experience for them. We want to build a school that our students can be proud to have attended. We want a place and a space to display wampum belts and cultural items that people can appreciate and learn from. Because of the impacts of residential schools and the ‘60s and ‘70s scoop many of our people haven’t learned their language, don’t know their own history and are just starting to discover who they really are. We want to make sure everything that we provide for them is the best and deepest learning experience possible.”

have the budget for a large project like this one, the wealth flows straight out of the community and into the pockets of large contractors who overpromise and underdeliver. And so, in seeking construction partners, FNTI was looking for someone with an entirely different approach to project delivery. Enter Chandos Construction and the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method.

“What sets IPD apart from all of the other delivery methods is the risk-reward model that’s embedded into the contract,” explains Chandos president Tim Coldwell. “The only way project participants get their full profit on the job is if the client is satisfied with the outcome of the project. The owner, designer, builder, and key trades are all linked together so they all win and lose together. It’s a completely new way to build where you scale-up-to-win or scale-down-to-lose. This delivery method broadens your perspective on what’s possible.”

The risk-reward model of IPD, and the radical transparency that goes with it, is a contractual scaffolding that’s surprisingly effective at ensuring that everyone at every stage of the project is kept focused on the same goal: delivering the best project possible.

“As soon as you take away the hidden margin pockets that find a way into a job and you disincentivize the team from increasing costs for their own gain, it radically changes everything,” says Coldwell. “If we can deliver the project below the forecasted cost and the owner is happy with it, then the owner gets half the savings, and the rest of the team gets the other half. That’s the incentive to reduce your costs.”

We are all one

Executing on a big vision requires a solid plan

With the philosophy of design behind the building already so grand in scale, there was another consideration that was just as important. This construction project is a massive infrastructure development on First Nations land, and it’s essential to ensure that it enriches the community as thoroughly as possible both after construction and during. Too often, when Indigenous communities

The IPD model also creates a considerable sense of community involvement that ties in directly with modern ideas of Indigenous economic reconciliation. This philosophy of Indigenous wealth-building focuses heavily on communal work for communal benefit. Through IPD, that’s exactly what’s happening in a project that feels, in some very positive ways, more like a barn raising than a major infrastructure development.

“We have a goal of 80 percent Indigenous economic participation in the FNTI project,” says Coldwell, who has Mohawk heritage himself. “To make this happen, we have to connect with the community to understand what the capacity of the community is. We do that in part through co-locating everyone

into what is pretty much a longhouse. We get the architects, engineers, tradespeople, and every other key team member to work from the same big room on-site. You can walk across the room and ask questions, have conversations, and solve issues in minutes that would take three weeks if you weren’t co-located. We also use that space for open houses, and we invite the community to come in, talk to us, have a coffee, and see the work we’re doing.”

The building becomes the community When all is said and done, the work done in that big room is going to give FNTI a new cutting-edge facility that combines all the modern amenities of a top tier postsecondary institute with a hefty appreciation for the ongoing cultural legacy of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. It will serve the specific community and educational needs of the students FNTI serves across Ontario and Canada, all from their home community of Tyendinaga Territory. It’s a net-zero carbon design with indoor and outdoor spaces conceived to maximize community involvement, from round classrooms that foster discussion to grid-independence with an eye toward disaster preparedness, and from ceremonial venues to Indigenous gardens and medicinal plants.

As this project develops, FNTI becomes more and more convinced that their vision could not have been realized without Chandos and IPD. “We just don’t have these kinds of places and spaces in First Nations communities, and we really want to set an example of how to create them,” says Brant. “With Tim and his team, we now have the platform to be able to say, ‘This is how you can do it with the Indigenous philosophy intact.’ In the near future, I’d like to create training modules so that we can show other communities how to go down this pathway of accountability, inclusivity, and collaboration, using IPD and a net-zero philosophy.”

To learn more about how Chandos Construction is reshaping the way construction is done in Canada, visit chandos.com

Suzanne Brant President, FNTI (First Nations Technical Institute)

Tim Coldwell President, Chandos Construction

D.F. McCourt

When the First Nations Technical Institute began planning construction of a new state-of-the-art learning facility, the team was committed to ensuring that every phase of the build aligned with its Indigenous community ideals.

This page was sponsored by Chandos

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANDOS & FNTI

Indigenous apprentices working alongside Chandos carpenters.

The Chandos team collaborating on a job site.

The landscape is an important part of the vision for the new FNTI building.

This rendering shows the front entrance of the new FNTI building in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.