b'CCAB Q&Athe country, these continue to be issuesARE THERE ANYANY FINAL THOUGHTS OR for Indigenous businesses and more mustINDUSTRIES YOU FEEL AREWORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT?be done to address them. There mustUNDERREPRESENTED INTrade is essential to our identity, history, be Indigenous involvement and owner- EXPORTING WHERE YOU COULDculture, values and economic wellbeing. ship over projects relating to developingSEE INDIGENOUS SMES REALLYIt is important to allow it to grow and connectivity for communities. INNOVATING OR EXCELLING? develop. We are making good prog-I think the provision of digital services,ress, but there is lots of work yet to be HAVE THERE BEEN ANYespecially regarding cultural awarenessdone. We understand that, but it is also INDIGENOUS-SPECIFICtraining and consulting services, couldexciting to see the opportunities. PROVISIONS WITHIN CANADASbe a significant area of growth. There are FREE TRADE AGREEMENTSopportunities in manufacturing, especiallyIm really looking forward to getting (FTAS) THAT HAVE BEENin marine and aerospace. I think thereto know more business owners and PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TOwill be more exporting of food productslearning about their challenges and ADVANCING TRADE?especially meat-related products. their successes.CanadasobligationstoIndigenous peoples under the Canadian constitu-tion cannot be superseded or under-mined by commitments under a free trade agreement. To ensure clarity on that, the government has secured a general excep-tion related to the rights of Indigenous peoplesinCUSMA(Canada-United States-Mexico agreement). This excep-tion is a demonstration of the commit-ment by all three governments to ensureElectricalthat FTA obligations do not interfereEstablished in 1979 as an with a countrys legal obligations toward Indigenous peoples.Instrumentation Service Contractor, TJI Multi-Trade Contractors is recognized WHAT HAS CHANGED as a preeminent Multi-Trade Industrial, POST-PANDEMIC? There has been a mixed bag of reactions.Commercial, Institutional (ICI) and Due to the digitization of the economyPanel Fabricator for Ontario.that occurred during the pandemic, weInstrumentationare noticing that businesses that have built their online presencedue to restrictions on the in-person sale of goods or provi- We are a Full-Service sion of serviceshave become more eager in a sense. These businesses are noticingElectrical Provider.that while exporting can be complicated, depending on the nature of the business,Focused on Meeting it can also be easy to create an online storeImportant Deadlines.and ship products to your international customers. For this reason, looking to inter-national markets really just makes senseFabrication Proudly Serving all of for a business that is trying to generateOntario and Abroad.profit and drive growth. Experience in Serving On the other hand, some businesses areClients Needs.realizing that relying completely on export to fund a company may not be the most sustainable venture in the long run, so they have started to branch off into other areasVisit us at www.tji.on.caand explore more local markets. It really depends on the business and their under- Fiber Opticsstanding of export and what it can do for them, which is why we are working hardContact us!to demystify export and ensure people519.332.8120info@tji.on.cadont unintentionally limit their growth and profit by keeping themselves strictly local. Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT71'