EXPERT: KELLY LENDSAY
Notes from a Nation Builder Kelly Lendsay is the President and CEO of Indigenous Works and an Edwards alumnus. He is a proud Canadian Indigenous leader of Cree and Métis ancestry and is based in Saskatoon. Thrive asked Kelly Lendsay to author an opinion piece for our readers on growing the employment of Indigenous people for the success of all nations.
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TH RIVE 2021
KELLY LENDSAY SUPPLIED
Sitting Bull once said, “Let us put our minds together and see what we can do for all of our children.” I’ve always felt this Indigenous thinking principle resonated with the spirit of inclusion. It is about creating economic and social opportunities and harmony for all people. The economic imperative was first underscored in the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1996. It contained 434 recommendations and demonstrated the importance of Indigenous partnerships to ‘close the gaps.’ In 1996, closing the gap meant a $7.5 billion return to the economy. In 1997 while I was at Edwards, we published the Impact of the Changing Aboriginal Population on the Saskatchewan Economy: 1995-2045, which is still one of the most widely cited sources on the implications of Aboriginal demographics and the economy in Saskatchewan. Closing the gap in Saskatchewan translated to $1.4 billion GDP based on 25,400 new jobs and
an average GDP of $25,456 per person. Fast forward to the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report in 2015. Recommendation #92 asks the corporate sector and their leadership to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. The commission calls for meaningful consultation, long term sustainable opportunities from economic development projects as well as education and training for managers on the history of Indigenous people, intercultural competency, human rights and anti-racism. While we have made progress in addressing gaps, the change is not fast enough. In October 2017, Indigenous Works released a report called Researching Indigenous Partnerships: An Assessment of CorporateIndigenous Relations. This national survey of 511 medium and large size firms reported three key findings; i) 85% of Canadian businesses are disengaged ii) the average Engagement Index score was a dismal 13% and iii) only one in four (28%) recognized the TRC Corporate Calls to Action. For
