b'PROCUREMENTincrease their spend on Aboriginal busi- to consider how they could achieveAboriginal-owned companies because nesses. There is no obligation to shareCanadas recent commitment to spendit is just not realistic for most Aboriginal performance information, which is often$1 billion with Aboriginal businesses bysuppliers to be operating at that level. kept under wraps. We would like to see2023. Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)What is required is additional ground-these targets made public and to havehas also been ramping up its outreach andwork to search for Aboriginal suppliers departments held accountable for targetseducation, working with Public Service anddeeper within the supply chain. In other under five per cent, or for not meetingProcurement Canada (PSPC) to developwords, Ottawa needs to do more to targets, says Morton. the new federal e-procurement solutionmandate its large corporate suppliers that considers Aboriginal procurementto include Aboriginal companies within On the bright side, there has been an effortreporting requirements.theirownsupplychains,eitheras on the part of some government agenciespartners or subcontractors. to modernize the procurement process.The quantity of procurement spend isntThere is much the government can learn CIRNAC, for example, took the initiative tothe only issue. Most large governmentfrom top private sector performers who issue a challenge to all federal departmentscontracts remain outside the scope ofgo deep into their supply chains to engage with more Aboriginal compa-nies. For instance, the oil and gas sector alone does more than $1.8 billion of busi-JOIN OUR ness with Aboriginal companies annually. Imperial Oil ($225 million+), Syncrude GAME CHANGING ($300 million+) and Suncor ($700 million+) are three of the companies driving those results. ORGANIZATION In some cases, this is achieved through a points system that the government could easily emulate in its own bidding processes. Many of the largest govern-ment contracts are too large or require too high a level of security clearance for Aboriginal companies to bid on as the main suppliernaval ship building, fighter jets, dams, etc. What the private sector has done in [similar] situations is ensure that non-Aboriginal companies who bid on these contracts receive points on a procurement scorecard for doing business with Aboriginal companies, explains Morton. For its part, ISC reviews projects over $2 million in value and advises procuring departmentstoincludeAboriginal We are seeking suppliersinRFPswhereAboriginal goal-oriented capacity exists. It may seem like baby professionals who takesteps, but it shows that federal agen-pride in contributing to acies are slowly embarking on initiatives high performing team to bring more Aboriginal businesses into the federal supply chain. In the meantime, CCAB is encouraging Canadian businesses to consider the advantages of engaging a proven, fast-growing Aboriginal business community. Apply today at SIGA.ca/careers Were challenging Canadian corporations to rethink where they spend their money and how they form their supply chains, and to let CCAB make helpful connections for them in the Aboriginal business commu-nity, says Gladu. The more opportunities we drive to that marketplace, the more growth well see for Canada.CDN ABORIGINAL BUSINESS REPORT4.883 X 718A CCAB PUBLICATION2019'