b'INDIGENOUS RELATIONScarpenter Natasha Swan. Chandos is very progressive, open to hearing things, implementing ideas. I really enjoy working for them, says Swan, who is a registered member of Paul First Nation in Wabamun, west of Edmonton. She joined Chandos in 2018 as a third-year carpenter.When she started, Swan says she was drawn to the company culture. I liked their approach to safety, and that they had steady work. Sometime later, my now husband and I were expecting a baby, and I was able to work on light duty until I was about 36 weeks pregnant, she says. After her maternity leave, Swan decided to finish her apprenticeship, and now attends some events as a represen-tative of the company.For instance, Swan attended the signing ceremony for a new high school on Bigstone Cree Nation in Alberta, where her father comes from. Thats why that project is sort of special to me, she says. I got to meet with Chester Auger, the CEO of Bigstone Education Authority; Elder-in-Residence Mike Beaver; and Silas Yellowknee, the Chief of Bigstone. I also got to meet the architects at Stantectwo women in such a math-heavy industry was really cool to see.Chandos had previously built the commu-nitys first school, which opened in 1998, serving Kindergarten to Grade 6. It was later expanded with portable class-The First Nations Technical Institute, a $30-million timber-build on a reclaimed site at the Tyendinagarooms to extend learning to Grade 9, Mohawk Airfield near Napanee, Ont. and in 2021, Chandos won the $35-million contract to construct a permanent high school, scheduled to open in 2024.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES of Elders and Chiefs. I always tell people As the companys national director ofIm not an expert; there are 634 differentIn that particular project, our commit-Indigenous strategy, Laronde has fourFirst Nations in Canada, and they repre- ment was to engage as much of the local key areas of responsibility: Indigenoussent over 50 languages. community as possible, so we as the cultural awareness, talent development,general contractor hosted a job fair and a procurement and business develop- However distinct the many Nations maytrade fair in the community, says Laronde. ment. The first of these, cultural aware- be, there is a common thread among allWe wanted to make sure that not only ness, entails the delivery of culturalIndigenous peoples, Laronde points out,we, but our subtrades, were aware of the awareness training to the companys part- and this is the focus of many of his talks.opportunities to employ local folks and ners, colleagues and clients. Laronde isI start in the 1400s, precontact, and then Iuse local businesses. We are working frequently called upon to teach sessionstalk about the major milestones: the forcewith an external firm to measure our about Indigenous history to give projectof assimilation, the Indian Act. I oftenspending to ensure that were meeting participants a working understanding ofend it with the Truth and Reconciliationthose standards.the essential points when they work withCommission report in 2015.Indigenous communities. This initiative, of course, relates to The second of Larondes four responsi- Larondes third focus, Indigenous procure-Laronde did his research to prepare forbilities is the attraction and retention ofment. As part of being a B Corp, we this part of his brief. I did a lot of readingIndigenous talent, which not only benefitsreach out to equity-seeking groups, which because I never knew about my ownthe employees themselves, but also theincludes Indigenous organizations. We culture growing up, he notes. I wentcompanyas evidenced by the successreach out to Indigenous vendors to make to a lot of conferences, I listened to a lotof hires like 29-year-old journeymansure they have an equal opportunity to 72A CCAB PUBLICATION2022'