Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2016 15 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A s part of a project initiated by the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) in 2014, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has produced an Indigenous Engagement Guide to help mainstream companies establish business-to-business relationships with Indigenous peers. "There was nothing like this that was specific to the construction industry," says CCA president Michael Atkinson. "We decided that we would develop a guide that was really directed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and companies, which is the vast majority of the construction industry." MHCA president Chris Lorenc co- chaired the management committee and the guide was produced in partnership with Indigenous Works (formerly the Aboriginal Human Resource Council), a Saskatoon-based non-profit organization that facilitates engagement and working partnerships between Indigenous and non- Indigenous groups. Indigenous Works president Kelly Lendsay says the 40-page guide went through more than a dozen drafts to ensure it would be concise, reader- friendly and practical, with step-by- step advice for building effective partnerships. Lendsay says the guide is a first for Indigenous Works in that it's national in scope, and in that it's tailored to a specific industry. "I'm really hoping that it's going to be a call to action for other industry associations to say, 'We should get one customized for our industry, look what CCA did.' " Atkinson notes CCA embarked on the project before the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released its 2015 report, which contained a call to corporate Canada to establish respectful partnerships, consult with Aboriginal communities, improve employee education surrounding Indigenous culture and "offer long- term sustainable opportunities from economic development projects." "A lot of emerging large infrastructure projects, particularly in the resource sector, are in areas of the country that are either Indigenous lands or are in communities where the Indigenous population is relatively higher," Atkinson says. "It would appear to us that there is a huge opportunity for businesses to engage the Aboriginal or Indigenous business community to co-venture, joint-venture or partner in those areas." While the guide is not aimed at recruitment, Atkinson points out that the median age of Canada's 1.5-million- strong Indigenous population is 27, unlike other demographics that are aging out of the workforce. That means Indigenous businesses not only bring local expertise, but they may also have better access to a local workforce. "There's also a greater interest on the part of governments in Canada to encourage, promote and even require a closer working relationship between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities, so to a great degree we see this as making good business sense to try and be a little bit ahead of the curve," Atkinson says. Prepared in consultation with Indigenous businesses and mainstream companies that have forged successful partnerships with Indigenous organizations in the past, the guide has a strong focus on the need to establish trust and build relationships over time. "It's a process: it's an involving process which you really can't do without having some understanding of the Indigenous population to begin with," Atkinson says. "Part of it is you really have to do your homework. You really have to try and garner an understanding of Indigenous people, their history, their culture and their way of life." The guide is free to CCA members, who can download it at the CCA's website at www.caa-acc.com. Atkinson says it may be made available to non-members on a case-by-case basis. ■ INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT GUIDE TAKES PRACTICAL APPROACH "A lot of emerging large infrastructure projects, particularly in the resource sector, are in areas of the country that are either Indigenous lands or are in communities where the Indigenous population is relatively higher." Sales Rental Parts Service The Complete Source For All Your Aggregate Needs! www.genagg.ca Winnipeg | 204-697-9600 841 Oak Point Hwy, Winnipeg, MB Regina | 306-757-2400 18 McLeod Road, Regina, SK

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