b'CCAB Q&ATrade and export provide an opportunity for Indigenous SMEs to continue to grow sustainably and to practise and showcaseIt was a surprise to me to see such a Indigenous cultures, values and history to more people. This helps carry those tradi- larger number of Indigenous businesses tions on and is a natural resumption of Indigenous cultures that were interruptedwith an interest in international by colonization. Exports provide opportu-nities for Indigenous businesses to growcustomers. This prompted us to have a beyond local markets and tap much larger customer bases. deeper look with our partners at Global IN TERMS OF STRENGTHENINGAffairs Canada. We launched our largest TRADE AND EXPORTS, WHAT HAVE BEEN SOMEsurvey ever and are in the process of OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS SO FAR? reviewing this informationThere are so many. Indigenous tradeMatthew Foss, CCABrecognition is building momentum. I think of IPECTA and the introduction of Indigenous-specific chapters in tradeWe started with research work with GlobalWe followed this up by working with agreements, such as the one that ourAffairs Canada (GAC) and we released ourpartners to establish some trade pilots cousins the Maori achieved in the U.K.Indigenous-Owned Exporting SMEs inwhere we have connected Indigenous and New Zealand free trade agreement.Canada report in 2019. It determined thatbusinesses with an interest in trade to These are really notable achievementsIndigenous businesses were very activepotential customers outside of Canada. that are going to benefit many businesses,with international customers and foundWehaveworkedwiththeAtlantic entrepreneurs and their families. that our major markets of interest are theCanada Opportunities Agency, Global U.S., Europe and, particularly, the U.K.Affairs Canada, the Vancouver Board of From CCABs perspective, we have becomeand Australia. This led us to start furtherTrades trade accelerator program, and the quite active in this space as an organization.research on this topic.U.S. government. Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT69'