Indigenous procurement has a direct impact on the wealth of First Nation, Inuit and Métis businesses, by enabling Indigenous businesses to contribute back to their communities and overall Canadian economy. How can we ensure a greater presence of Indigenous businesses in the country's supplier base and measure resulting outcomes of Indigenous inclusion?

Indigenous businesses are critical to building a more sustainable economy. More Indigenous professionals are needed in the workforce, in boardrooms and in decision making roles. What are the necessary steps toward training and recruitment to ensure Indigenous women, entrepreneurs, and small businesses are part of a future that makes space for Indigenous knowledge and experience?

How did you adjust through the pandemic and how has that affected how you do business today? And, was there any impact on the strength and effectiveness of your current business relationships or the establishment of any new partnerships? Paul-Emile McNab will discuss best practices with expert panelists including Indigenous businesses and communities on how to build and maintain effective business relationships/partnerships through the covid pandemic. What have you learned? What are some effective business strategies and challenges you can share, how can we move forward together in our business strategies and planning for 2022.

What employee training and skills are available in this new normal? Are you discovering that gaps exist in what is needed and is there a solution?

The strength of a relationship can define business success. What can you do to ensure business opportunities follow a collaborative approach?

Implementing UNDRIP and what that means for economic reconciliation. What are the challenges? How some efforts have stalled because of the pandemic and others have excelled.

On September 15, 2021, an historic announcement was made involving the first of its kind business partnership. Suncor and eight Indigenous Communities: Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, Fort McMurray First Nation, Fort Chip Metis, Fort McKay Metis Nation, McMurray Metis, Willow Lake Metis Nation and Conklin Metis Local #193, announced a partnership and ownership in a northern pipeline. The partnership is called Astisiy and was made possible with the financial guarantee of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation. This nation to nation pipeline ownership with Suncor provides long-term sustainability for communities well into the future.

Join the leaders of this project in a frank discussion on how nations can work together to move common business interests forward and how to create future partnerships that will sustain communities into the future.

"Indigenous leadership has proven through the pandemic that it is competent, effective and capable of coping with the unprecedented strains facing the country,” said Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller (CBC News, April 2021). Based on recent data, what are the lessons learned and good practice guidance between leaders of companies, Indigenous businesses, and communities?